High Seas and Golden Skies
by SunshineSong
Summary: Maka, youngest Captain the Navy has ever seen, hates Pirates. Its her job to keep peace on the seas, to put swashbuckling villains behind bars. What happens when the most infamous & hated pirate of all destroys her ship & captures her & her crew? AU! MXS
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

**I promise you, though I have started this other story. I have not forgotten about, nor am I abandoning 'Is this Sound Okay?' (However it is coming to an end fairly soon!). One of the books I read recently was an excellent swashbuckling tale and I felt inspired to try my hand at writing one of my own and incorporate the ever wonderful Soul Eater gang :D**

**And so! Please enjoy!  
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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER!**

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><p><em><span>One<span>_

The two blonde girls dragged her across the deck, throwing her at the feet of their captain. Her jaw clenched, she would not look at him, would not give him the satisfaction of seeing the despair in her green eyes. Her ship was on fire behind her, black smoke billowing out into the afternoon air. Her heart wrenched as everything she had worked so hard for burned and crumbled to ash around her.

Maka's eyes watered at the smoke that perforated the air. Then again, the stinging in her eyes could just as easily be her frustration and anguish at having lost the fight. At having lost _everything._

A deadly looking end of a blade met her gaze. Its wielder used it to move her sopping wet hair out of her face. The cutlass angled, the cold steel biting into her neck. "Look at me." A rough voice demanded. She glared determinedly at the deck, she would not look at him. The blade pushed a little harder. "I said look at me flat-chested wench!"

Her head snapped up, preparing to shout at him; she froze. His appearance was so startling she couldn't finish. Red eyes peered down at her from under a shock of untidy white hair. His lips were pulled back in a maniacal smile, revealing jagged teeth. It was just as all the stories said. She had always brushed them off as people's wild imaginations. When it came to pirates people always liked to embellish. He wore a wide brimmed hat with a ridiculous plumed feather; completely impractical. His white tunic was loose and billowing, the front unlaced, a tanned chest peeking out underneath. A brown leather vest was thrown over it. His trousers were dark and tucked into his boots that appeared to be made of the same leather as his vest.

He cocked his head at her, "I'm not a cruel man," he started. "I won't kill you so long as you don't force my hand." Maka barked out a laugh and his eyebrows rose in surprise, clearly he'd expected her to fall at his feet weeping and grateful. He lowered his sword.

"Not a cruel man," she laughed again, it was a bitter sound. "My ship will burn to nothing, my first mate is missing and at this time I presume him dead. This fight was a farce, we were going to come to your aid, you played a dirty trick." Her eyes stung and he continued to look down at her with a blank stare, for a brief moment she thought she spied a flash of pity. But this was likely her imagining things.

"Your crew's done the smart thing, they've surrendered. They'll have the chance to join us if they want or they can get off at the next port. I'm nothing if not fair." She spat at his feet and flew at him with a snarl.

She collided into him, taking him off guard, they tumbled onto the deck. Before anyone could make a move she'd knocked him down, his cutlass clattered somewhere out of reach. The action was a foolish one on Maka's part; a part of her knew this but she was just so _angry._ She swung, her fist connecting with the startled captains jaw. There was a crack as her fist met flesh, the two of them tussled, Maka jerked a knife out of his belt; she straddled him and held the blade to his neck.

The metallic sound of the hammer of a pistol being clicked into action echoed in her ears. She felt the barrel pressed into the back of her head and froze. Crimson eyes sparked, looking up at her with a surprising calm. "What now? You kill me?" She was breathing heavily, still soaked through from her earlier tumble in the water. "Patti will have a bullet through your skull before you can cut deep enough to kill me. You're fast, but you're not very strong."

Her face twisted into a furious expression. Eyes like acid. "I don't need to be strong to cut your jugular. Just need to know where to scratch-" she took another panting breath. "Then at least if I died I'd have the satisfaction of knowing another bastard pirate captain would be following me soon enough. It wouldn't take long for you to bleed out on the deck." She hissed between clenched teeth.

"And leave your crew? Where would you go little poppet, jump overboard take your chances with the sharks?" his tone was taunting and it made her blood boil. She could hear the creaking of timber burning through and collapsing behind her. There was a crash and shouts as, what she was sure was her main mast; even without looking, came toppling down. "Please Captain!" Maka's gaze snapped to her crew. Tsubaki stood at the front of the group, her dark haired medic frowned, her expression one of pleading.

Maka's heart clenched and her hand lowered, the knife dropped from her grasp. Hands grabbed her roughly from behind, dragging her off of their captain. She felt a knife pressed into the small of her back and the pistol that had been aimed at her head was jabbed into the side of her neck.

"What should we do with her Cap'n?" the one holding the pistol spoke, the captain had called her Patti? She laughed. Another girl, the other blonde who'd dragged her across the deck, spun a pistol on her finger. She caught it in place and closed one eye as she aimed at Maka's head. "Shall we fire one into that pretty little face?" The Captain stood, brushing himself off.

"No." He rubbed his cheek tenderly where she'd struck him. "Put her in the dark for awhile. We'll chat once she's had some time to cool down." _The dark?_ Maka wondered what he meant. She felt herself jerked forward roughly as the two blondes dragged her towards the other end of the ship, away from her crew who could only stand helplessly by. She glanced back, Tsubaki's eyes were wide. Maka's mind traced back to her missing first mate. She sent a silent prayer that he was safe, or if he was dead, that the Sea had been merciful.

A small door was opened and she was dragged awkwardly down a small set of steps. The hollow sound of boots tromping down the planks echoed into the dark of the room. The taller girl, with longer hair, released her hold on Maka for a moment; trusting Patti to hold her.

"Hurry up Liz," the shorter girl whined. Liz lit a torch as Maka was pulled down further into the belly of the ship.

They reached what Maka was sure was the dankest part of the ship. The sound of something dripping echoed out of the dark. Liz pulled away again, fiddling with keys and unlocking a rusty door to a cage. She was shoved forward, stumbling onto the filthy floor of the cage.

"Some time in the dark will calm her down." Liz muttered. Patti laughed loudly as they closed the door behind her with a clank, turning the key in the lock.

The two girls drew away and Maka felt a stab of fear as the light of the torch drew away from her. The shadows crept into her space until there was no life left.

The trapdoor they'd entered through slammed closed as they left and Maka was left alone in the black.

She leaned against the wall of the ship, closing her eyes and listening to the dark. The ship rocked beneath her in the waves, soothing despite the unfamiliar setting. If she closed her eyes and let her mind wander she could imagine she was still on her own ship, that this whole fiasco hadn't happened. She felt like such an idiot, to let this happen. She should have been more careful.

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><p><em>The fire crackled loudly, sparks erupting out into the night air. The sky was black, tiny stars set into the velvet dark, swirled around the quarter moon like little gems. White sand covered the beach, multi-colored shells scattered throughout it and the ocean lapped against the shore gently. The night was cool but with the fire so near it was enough to stave off the cold.<em>

_A small group of children huddled around the fire. An old man and woman sat across from them, the two sat close and with the way they occasionally glanced at one another you could be sure they were deeply in love. The woman was sewing a patch onto an indistinct pile of cloth on her lap, the man was puffing away on a pipe, telling a story to the little ones. They all called him 'Grandpa' but none of them were actually his grandchildren._

_"With eyes like blood and teeth as sharp as shark's, the white haired devil brought his ship into port-"_

_"Which port!" one of the children shouted, interrupting._

_"Why does it matter?" the woman asked, looking up from her sewing. The child shrugged and Grandpa continued._

_"His ship is black, its figurehead the face of death himself they say." The silver-haired old man blew a smoke ring and one of the children gave a delighted cry. "The pirates set fire to the harbor, rushing onto land they began sacking the port- The people screamed and ran, for what could they do against such a foe? They say if they caught you their Captain would devour your very soul."_

_"Your soul is mine!" A voice roared out behind them as a dark shadow fell across their huddled forms. The children shrieked and cowered in their blankets. Laughter rang out behind them and the children's shrieking calmed when they realized the newcomer was not in fact the dreadful pirate captain._

_The woman who had arrived smiled widely as she fell into the sand beside them._

_"Maka!" a little dark haired girl chorused, she crawled over to hug her tightly. The woman smiled and ruffled the young girls dark hair fondly._

_"What nonsense is Grandpa telling you all now?" The young woman made room for the small girl to climb into her lap. The other children crowded around her._

_"He's telling us about pirates!" she said excitedly._

_"Pirates?" the young woman's bright green eyes widened. "My, you're all rather brave to listen to such stories. Won't you have nightmares?" The young girl shook her head, black pigtails slapped the older girls chest as she whipped her head side to side._

_"Not uh! We're tough like Maka!" Another child shouted. A third, a blonde haired boy stood up with his fists out. _

_"We'd fight any pirates what came to our harbor!"_

_"What if it was the soul eater! He's so tough you can't beat'm!" a brunette boy shouted in return. This quickly resulted in a fight, the two boys tussling in the sand. Maka leaned over and broke it up._

_"That's enough you two." She chided gently._

_Grandpa smiled as Maka settled them down. "You've been telling them about him again?" she asked quietly. He nodded. _

_"They like the story." Maka looked a little annoyed though the old man looked unashamed. "You really shouldn't be glorifying pirates," she faulted softly. The older woman smiled into her sewing. _

_"Oh Maka, its just a story. They're children. Let them enjoy it."_

_Maka felt a tug on her blonde pigtail and looked down; the little one in her lap looked up at her with her big dark blue eyes. "Yeah, its just a story! Let us enjoy it!" She scolded. Maka's eyebrows raised as she looked down at the little girl. "Oh is that so?" she clucked. The little girl squealed as she fell under an attack of tickles. "Had enough?" The girl giggled hysterically._

_"Uncle! Uncle!" she cried. Maka halted her tickle attack and sat back with a grin, glancing at the other children. "I hate to break up the fun but I was sent over to bring you all home." She told them. There was a collective groan from the children as Maka stood, brushing sand from her clothes. "Come along now." They bid the old couple goodbye and Maka led the herd of children into night towards the small fishing village._

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><p>Maka's eyes snapped open and her head jerked up as she woke. At some point alone in the dark she'd fallen asleep. The sound of the trap door opening had woken her. She wiped her eyes knowing she was covered in soot and blood from the fight still. She wondered how long she'd been down there in the cage.<p>

The light of the torch hurt her eyes as it fell across her. She squinted as she peered up at he one who'd come to see her. It was _him_. Her sleepy eyes became more alert and the glare that sparked in her eyes was unavoidable.

"Have you calmed down enough to come have a civil chat with me?" His red eyes almost seemed to glow as they watched her from behind the worn bars of her cage. She spat at his feet and said nothing. He lifted an eyebrow; looking amused more than anything and crouched down beside her so they were eye level. "You really want to spend more time in the dark here?" She turned up her nose at him. "Your surgeon said you were stubborn as an ass."

Her mouth fell open and an involuntary sound of dismay came out. She turned her eyes on him angrily only to find him grinning. "Well she didn't say it like _that. _She's too soft spoken for it. I drew my own conclusions from her under exaggeration." Maka was furious, she couldn't believe Tsubaki had spoken to this…this _Pirate._ It went against everything they stood for.

"What do you need to talk to me for if she's chatting away with you?" She sneered. He shrugged.

"Sure I could chat away to all your crew but they aren't particularly pleased with me for locking you away like this." She leaned in close, her eyes hard, gaze sharp.

"Then let me go," she whispered darkly. He barked out a laugh.

"And have you put a knife in my back the first chance you get?" He shook his head, white hair falling around his face, he pushed it away with his free hand impatiently. Their faces were close enough together that were it not for the bars, it would take only one rough wave for them crash into one another. "You'll have to prove your ready to be cool before I let you wander about on your own."

"You're afraid of one little girl?" she challenged. He smirked crookedly at her.

"I'm afraid of a navy captain who managed to bruise my jaw and tried to slit my throat upon our first meeting." She huffed and sat back, scooting back into the shadows and out of the pool of light from the torch. She watched him stand from her place against the wall. "I take it this means you're not ready to be a good girl?" She made a rude noise in the dark and he chuckled throatily. "Well I'll be back in awhile."

In silence she watched him climb the ladder and disappear through the trap door. It slammed shut behind him, leaving her in the dark again.

She leaned her head against the side of the ship and closed her eyes; the ship creaked and moaned like a living thing. Maka felt her thoughts drifting to Samuel her eyes squeezed closed at the pain of the thoughts. The nerve of that bastard. 'Settle down', 'Be a good girl', 'Be cool'. Because of him Samuel was probably dead. It was only luck the whole of her crew had survived. She worried for them and though a part of her ached that they would become one with the bastard Pirates crew she was glad they were safe. They would live well enough at least.

The ship ever rocking beneath her Maka nodded off again, trying to forget this wasn't her ship, that Samuel was missing, that her crew had been captured, that her life had taken such a sudden turn for the worse.

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><p><strong>AN: This will likely become quite graphic at times later, I started it relatively lightly for what I have been thinking. More will come!**

**Reviews earn you a chest full of imaginary pirate treasure. Which is essentially my love in a box. :3**

**Arrrghhh ;D (I apologize in advance for the dorky pirate talk. I'm sure I'll be full of it while I write this :P)  
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**-Song  
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	2. Chapter 2

_Two_

_Maka strode across the deck purposefully. The sun was bright, beating down on the back of her neck as she paused at the railing. The crew scurried about around her in action. She produced an eyeglass from her sleeve, extending it she peered through. It was there as she had suspected. Only a speck on the horizon at this point but it was better that way. A safe distance was needed so they didn't know they were in pursuit. _

"_Captain?" Maka lowered the eyeglass and turned. _

_A bright smile beamed out at her from a handsome chiseled face. Dark, wind tousled curls fell loose and she had the fight the urge to brush them off his forehead and out of his eyes. Blue-green eyes, eyes that always without fail made her think of the sea. They twinkled out at her now. _

"_Mister Ashford," she greeted formally. Her first mate and quartermaster slipped in beside her, leaning on the rail casually. "Who has the wheel?" she asked him with a delicate lift of her eyebrow. He grinned shamelessly._

"_I passed it off on Pete. Lady Ocean's feeling gentle now so it won't hurt anything. Pete's thrilled about it anyway." Maka rolled her eyes. It was a wonder he was any good at his job with how often he shirked his duties. Truthfully, it mattered little, she wouldn't have anyone else at the wheel in a storm. Except perhaps herself she thought honestly, though admittedly without any modesty. _

_He jerked his head in the direction of the horizon. "Is that them?" She nodded, staring ahead at the rolling blue, the sun's glare off the water forcing her to squint. "I believe so. If we keep a safe distance they'll take us where we need to go." The blonde captain turned, leaning her back against the railing and tilting her head to the sky. Such a bright blue, pristine and cloudless. The wind was strong enough to pull them along at a good pace without making the water too rough. She couldn't remember the last time the day had been this perfect for sailing. Couldn't remember the last time she'd just let herself enjoy sailing like this. Not worrying about pirates or fights or storms. _

_Samuel tugged a strand of her hair playfully. "Captain." He repeated. Apparently he'd been saying something to her. She really should reprimand him for such causal behavior in front of the crew. Tugging her hair like that must be disrespectful. "Captain." _

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><p>"Captain!" Maka jerked awake, smacking her head against the side of the ship with a hollow thud. She moaned lowly and clutched the aching part of her head. She cursed fluently under her breath at the unpleasant awakening. Her heart twisted in her chest as she realized she'd been dreaming. She was not on her ship. There was no blue sky above her. Samuel Ashford as not at her side as he should be, as he'd always been.<p>

It was dark. She was surprised, she'd expected a torch light, something. She wasn't alone in the dark though, she could feel the heated presence of someone else there with her in the belly of the ship. "Who's there?" She called out, still managing her confident, commanding tone.

"It's me!" A familiar voice answered. Maka peered into the shadows outside her cage. Tsubaki's form became clearer in her sight as she tried to focus on it.

"What are you doing here?" Maka hissed as she scrambled closer. She cussed sharply as she smacked her wrist on the bars. "And why didn't you bring a light?" she grumbled. Her friends eyes were wide, they shone out at her in the dark.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I'm not supposed to be here."

"Then why did you come?" Maka muttered, sitting with her back to the bars.

"I couldn't stand you being alone down here. I wanted to see where they were keeping you."

"Well now you've seen it," Maka said in a falsely cheery tone. "Lovely isn't it? I'm sure you're jealous."

The whole room was dank and smelled like mold. Everything felt damp and there was the constant sound of the ship groaning as it rolled along the waves. Not to mention the distinct sound of rats scurrying about somewhere out of sight.

"What did you come here for?" Maka asked again; not satisfied with the initial answer. Tsubaki leaned in close. Her hand pushed through the bars, pressing something into Maka's. From the feel of it, Maka assumed it was bread. She brought it closer to her face, her eyes adjusting in the dark. Yes, it was definitely bread. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she chomped into it savagely without a word.

"Captain…" she trailed off as the blonde ate. "Maka," she started again. "You have to stop. Cooperate."

Maka coughed on her mouthful of bread, trying to swallow quickly so she could retort.

"Please…" her friend whispered. "They're really not all bad. Maybe a little crude-" she added wryly. "But not bad. They're not going to force us to stay. We can help around the ship until they reach port and when they do we have a choice of staying on board as crew, or getting off and finding a way home." Maka grimaced at Tsubaki's words. It felt so wrong. These were _pirates._ "You don't have to like them…just…put up with them until they make anchor somewhere. Being on deck with them can't be any worse than being here can it?" Maka didn't have to see Tsubaki's face to know a wistful smile graced it. "And we miss you Captain. Me and the crew."

Her stomach flopped. She wasn't sure if it was from the bread she'd just put in her stomach or the sudden vision of Samuel that had flashed behind her eyelids when she blinked.

"Have they-" she whispered. "Have they found Sam?" There was a beat of silence before the Naval doctor answered. Maka figured she'd shook her head before realizing it was too dark for Maka to register that response.

"P-Pete says he saw him go overboard during the fight." She breathed. Maka's stomach dropped, she wanted to throw up. The fact that someone had seen him go overboard and he still hadn't been found made it feel so much more final. Her fists clenched.

"If it weren't for these damn bastards Sam would still be ali-" she stopped herself. "Sam would still be here," she corrected. "I-…I just can't forgive them."

Tsubaki's arms slipped through the bars to embrace her from behind. She clasped her friends hand and released a shaky breath.

"Don't forgive them. Just…tolerate them. Your crew needs you," she murmured, then pulled away. "I should go." She then said. Maka listened to her pick her way towards the ladder. Her back to the trapdoor she only heard it open and shut, leaving her alone with the rats and the shadows.

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><p>Captain Soul Eater sat at his desk in his cabin. His boots were off and his bare feet were rested up on the desk. Sleeves rolled up, his hands were rested behind his head. A record played on the gramophone, soft piano music floating around the cabin. Sure he was a Pirate, that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the finer things.<p>

There was a knock at the door and he opened open eye in annoyance. "Enter," he called.

The door smacked open loudly and Soul's Master Gunner and Master Carpenter came barreling in, shouting at each other and arguing loudly. Soul's jaw clenched as he pulled his legs off the desk and stood.

"Will the two of you shut the hell up?" They both fell silent though continued to glower at one another.

His Master Gunner, who was by some unfortunate turn of events; soaked to the bone, folded his arms across his chest. He was slight enough that his strength often surprised many. Unusually pale with golden eyes and three unusual white streaks on one side of his head. He had a bizarre obsession with symmetry though it was what made him the brilliant gunner he was. He could coordinate the artillery with such expertise one would think he'd been doing it since he was born.

His skill with the guns had sunk many a ship. This had earned him his nickname. 'Death the Kid'. Though generally he just went by Kid.

"This…_idiot._ Pushed me overboard!" Kid spluttered while making a violent gesture in the Master Carpenters direction.

Master Carpenter 'Black Star', nobody knew his real name, he insisted it _was_ his real name; yawned widely. He was leaning against a shelf looking bored. Strange bright blue hair and equally bright blue eyes gave him an unusual appearance. What he lacked in size he made up for in personality. Black Star was quite frankly a loud mouth, often his forward personality resulted in a number of fights between him and other crew members. Despite his habit of frequently annoying the other members of the crew he was damn good at his job. His skills as a carpenter were incomparable and so he was respected despite all his faults.

His hot-headed personality usually ended up placing him at the forefront of battles and boarding's. He would shout and cackle maniacally as he did, often a disturbing sight to the enemy.

"Feh, I pushed him overboard because this, _idiot, _was interfering with my work. He was shouting like a crazy man about me ruining the ship. As if _I _could ruin the ship. My hands do the work of gods!"

Soul rubbed his temples in frustration. "Alright, what do you want me to do about it?" he growled.

"Punish him!" Kid snapped as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He shot a glare at Black Star who shrugged and yawned again.

"Do whatever you like." Kid looked livid.

"I've changed my mind actually. I want to fight." Soul nodded, he liked this solution best.

"Alright, the two of you will fight it out. I'll supervise. Come on then." He waved them both out of his cabin, shutting the door tightly behind them.

The rest of the crew cheered excitedly at the prospect of a fight to entertain them that afternoon.

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><p>The two senior crew members stood across from one another, the rest of the crew circled around them jeering at them and calling out encouragement. Soul contemplated shooing them all away but it didn't matter, he didn't think the fight would last long and these little bouts always entertained them.<p>

Soul stood with his arms folded, eyes squinting in the sunlight. He wished he hadn't left his hat in his cabin on his desk.

Black Star cracked his knuckles and Kid did a lunge to stretch out his legs.

"Alright!" Soul shouted over the din of the crew crowded around. They fell silent. "Master Black Star here and Master Kid feel they have offended one another gravely and are not able to sort out their differences with words. So you all know what that means!" There was laughter and cheering. A chorus of voices shouted for a fight.

"Masters," Soul nodded at them. "Begin!"

As usual Black Star rushed headlong into the fight without a thought. He threw himself at Kid who danced gracefully out of the way with ease. Black Star swung around, trying to hit Kid from behind but Kid whipped around and caught his wrist. He wrenched on it, flipping the Master Carpenter over his shoulder; he hit the deck flat on his back.

Black Star scrambled to stand, he grabbed Kid's ankle and the Gunner came tumbling down with him. The two tussled on the ground, grappling to gain control over the other. Kid swung, striking Black Star in the jaw with a smack. Black Star took the shot and twisted out of Kid's grasp, he kicked his opponent in the gut throwing him off of him.

Kid struggled to stand and Black Star grinned. "Hey Kid!" Kid's eyes narrowed. "Nice hair."

There was a collective intake of breath. Kid's golden eyes went wide and his face paled even more so than it already was naturally. Having just managing to stand, his knees buckled and he slumped down.

"I'm a monster," he breathed. Lip quivering his touched his hair. "No symmetry. A mess. Disgusting."

Smirking, Black Star strode forward, preparing to put a foot on Kid's back while he had his meltdown, claiming victory.

"Get off your ass Kid!" a frightening voice called from the crowd. "Smarten the hell up!" Kid rose looking terrified as he realized Patti had been the one shouting at him. Black Star looked displeased his plan had failed. "He wrecked the ships symmetry!" Liz called. Kid's eyes flashed and he leapt into action.

Kid kicked Black Star's legs out from under him, he flipped him over and his opponent fell flat on his back again. Winded, he panted and moaned as some point during a combination of lightning movements Kid had socked Black Star in the gut. The Master Gunner placed a foot on his opponents chest. Soul counted out three and the crew erupted into excited cheers as their Captain moved forward and took Kid's hand, raising it above their heads to signify his victory.

As the crowds thinned, returning to their work, Soul crouched beside the defeated Black Star. The Captain sighed heavily as he helped his friend to stand. The idiots over-confidence and cocky attitude was almost always the result of his failure. He should have anticipated the Master Gunners first and second mates assisting their Leader after the dirty trick he tried to pull.

With wounded pride Black Star limped off to complete whatever work he had started before the fight had broken out.

Soul realized that someone was hovering nearby, awaiting his attention. He glanced over his shoulder to find the tall Japanese girl from the most recent ship they'd taken standing nearby. She looked nervous, her indigo eyes flicking about the deck, the wind toyed with her long dark hair.

"You need something-uh..Tsubaki was it?" She nodded and stepped forward hesitantly.

"I just…wanted to know when you'll be going down to see the Captain?" His lip quirked at her referring to the little minx he had locked up in his ship as Captain still.

"Soon." He said as he started walking towards his cabin.

"Please!" she called. He stopped, turning to look at her again. Her expression was pleading, her cheeks tinged pink as his gaze swept over her. "I-I have a feeling she'll be more cooperative this time. Surely you don't plan on leaving her locked up forever do you?"

By all rights he should have her in chains for talking to him like this. He was the Captain. She was a defeated member of an enemy crew. Watching her standing there so nervously he couldn't bring himself to do it though. He gave a resigned sigh.

"I'll go see her now." He made a mental note that he needed to toughen up because clearly he was getting soft. What kind of pirate gave in to the requests of a nervous woman? Pathetic.

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><p>Maka stirred at the sound of something brushing up against the bars. She peered into the shadows, the form of some sort of four legged animal appeared as her eyes adjusted. She paled, hoping it wasn't a particularly large rat.<p>

'_Meow_'.

"Oh a cat…" she murmured to nobody in particular. Cats were good luck. To leave port without one was foolish, there were always those few sailors who felt a voyage was doomed without a cat. Superstition was plentiful on the sea.

There was a creak as the hatch opened, light spilled into the room casting out the inky blackness. Her pupils shrunk rapidly at the sudden light. Eyes adjusting she found _him _standing in front of her cage. The pool of light the torch threw out revealed the cat that had been at the bars. It was seated next to him cleaning its paw. Wide amber eyes and odd purple fur, the cat had a strange appearance.

"I see you've met Blair." He told her. "I'm surprised she's down here, the cats tend to avoid coming this far down. Its why the rats tend to gather here." He smiled at her, revealing his jagged teeth. "Well, are you ready to play nice now?"

She grit her teeth, she didn't want to play nice. That was the last thing she wanted. But Tsubaki's words floated through her thoughts and she knew she couldn't stay down here. Damn that girl, she always seemed to set her right. She peered up at him.

"Yes." She told him softly. "How long have I been down here?" Soul cocked his head at her.

"Three days. I suppose you can't really tell time passing down here." He pulled a key ring off his belt. "So. Lets have a chat shall we?"

He unlocked the door, the hinges squeaked loudly as it swung open. Maka stood shakily, weak from hunger. She took a few hesitant steps. She noted that Soul kept his hand on his cutlass as she approached. She felt a stab of amusement that she made him nervous. He gestured for her to go ahead of him and she did, climbing up the ladder and into the light.

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><p><strong>AN: Avast me hearties! Another chapter done! For those following 'Is this Sound Okay' I'm about halfway done the next chapter. I'm just feeling pumped on this story right now ehehe :)**

**More will come!**

**Review and I won't make you walk the plank! Harharhar...(pirate laughter! ;D)  
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**-Song :3**


	3. Chapter 3

_Three_

Glasses clinked as he pulled out a pair of tumblers and a crystal bottle of some amber liquid. Soul gestured for her to sit and she did reluctantly. "Drink?" he asked as he placed one of the glasses in front of her, she shook her head but he ignored her and uncapped the crystal bottle. He poured the amber liquid into her glass then his. She watched as he closed up the bottle and picked up his glass, he swirled the liquor round the cup; throwing brilliant golden light around the room.

He sat down in the chair across from her, sipping his drink casually. "So…Miss...Albarn is it?" She folded her arms across her chest and her lips thinned as she nodded.

"Captain Albarn," she corrected stiffly. He smirked into his cup.

"When I heard your last name I realized who you were," he polished off his drink neatly and put the glass down sharply. "You're _the _Captain Albarn. Youngest Captain the navy has ever seen and daughter of the famous Kami and Spirit Albarn." He chuckled to himself as he leaned back in his seat. "Imagine my surprise at finding out I'd taken your ship." Maka glared at him from across the desk. "And so _easily_ too."

She grit her teeth, every word was like salt rubbing into her wounds. Only Tsubaki's words from earlier kept her from leaping across the table to throttle him. "What I'd like to know is why you were out there, you were quite a ways out for normal patrols." he asked. She turned her head away, staring at his bookshelf. Soul sighed heavily. "I thought you were going to play nice."

"I said I'd behave, not that I'd spill valuable information to _pirates_," she spat the word out like it was the foulest one she knew. There was the sound of him opening the bottle again and she heard liquid being poured assuming he was filling himself another glass.

"I could always force you to tell me." She huffed.

"As if you could. Plan to torture me?" Her emerald eyes met his crimson. He gave her a hard stare.

"I could."

"You wouldn't." She said lightly, not appearing concerned with his threat.

"You'd be surprised," he said darkly. "Don't brush off the possibility so casually." Her gaze was unflinching as they locked eyes.

"Honestly, I don't think you have the guts." She told him bluntly.

This woman was…infuriating. What kind of woman was unflinching under the threat of torture? When he interrogated people they were usually so afraid of his reputation they caved before he even had to do anything. Captain Soul Eater, scourge of the seas, he'll _eat your very soul_. He was downright terrifying.

Where was the fear? The trembling hands, pleading tone? She turned her nose up at him, arms folded across her seriously lacking chest. He felt himself bristle with annoyance, he would have to take a different approach, this was not a girl to be threatened.

"You're a pirate chaser aren't you?" She glared and said nothing. He gave her a knowing grin. "We're not all bad y'know, don't knock our lifestyle til you try it."

"As if I would ever sink to a level of such _filth._"

"Now listen here when I say-" A sudden hammering on the door interrupted him. "What the fuck-" Shouts interrupted him this time.

The Pirate Captain stormed towards the door and threw it open. Standing in the doorway was one of his officers and Master Rigger.

"Kilik!" he barked. "What in seven hells is going on out there?"

"Captain you've got to come quick. Its Black Star!" Soul's brow furrowed. What had that idiot done now? Forgetting Maka he started to follow his officer out onto the deck. He paused at the doorway and swore sharply before growling at her. "You stay here!" he commanded and then continued after Kilik.

* * *

><p>The door closed loudly and Maka folded her arms across her chest. She was sorely tempted to get up and leave just to spite him for talking to her like she was some pet who would just obey. Frowning she stood preparing to leave, her gaze fell on the table and a collection of maps and papers spread across his desk caught her eye.<p>

Alone in the Pirate Captains cabin? When would this opportunity present itself again? She moved around the desk and began sorting through the sheets and examining the map. A knife was stuck in the table, point down. She snatched it up and tucked it into the waist of her trousers, covering it up with her shirt.

According to the markers on the map their destination lied south, near a place called Dark Port. She frowned. She'd never heard of such a place.

"Watcha doin'?" Maka leapt a foot in the air, clutching her heart, she whipped around with wide eyes. There was nobody there…except…a cat?

Maka furrowed her brow. It was the cat from down in the dark. The cat settled back on its haunches, cleaning its paw delicately. Confused Maka took a hesitant step towards it. She glanced around.

"Is someone here?" she asked. The room was clearly empty of any other people though. The cat winked at her. Maka rubbed her eyes vigorously, she figured she had to be dreaming. Perhaps Soul had never let her out of the dark and she was asleep in the bottom of the ship still?

"I'm here silly." The cat spoke. She pinched her arm in disbelief, nothing happened besides a sharp pain. The purple cat was talking. She had clearly lost her mind.

"You-" she paused. "You're talking?" The cat laughed and rubbed its head against its paw.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Cats don't talk."

"This cat does."

"How?" Maka said wonderingly. "How is this possible?" The cat shrugged. Which made little sense, how could a cat shrug?

"I'm a cat with an ridiculous amount of magic power." This whole situation was feeling more ridiculous by the minute.

"Does anybody else know you can talk?"

"Oh sure, there's this one guy, but everyone thinks he's crazy." Maka ran a hand through her hair exasperatedly. Excellent, maybe her and the crazy guy would end up together and make for a lovely crazy couple. "Why are you talking to me then?" The cat inexplicably shrugged again.

"You seem interesting. I like you. Cats are an excellent judge of character you know." The cat smiled. Or at least when Maka imagined was the equivalent of a cat smiling.

"Why are you-"

"Pum-pumpkin, transforming pumpkin!" There was a pop and a puff of purple smoke.

Maka coughed and waved the smoke out of her face. The smoke cleared and sitting in place of the cat was a woman. A completely naked woman.

She was pretty sure her eyes just about popped out of her head.

"You-you're…a woman?" The naked woman shrugged.

"Why do you pretend to be a cat around the crew?" The woman yawned, thought she was quite clearly human now she still resembled a cat to some extent. The way her lips curled, her hair remained he colour of her fur, still that unusual purple. Her eyes were cat like, the same amber colour.

"It's a long story," she said with a smile. "I don't think we'll have time for me to explain just yet."

* * *

><p>The crew was crowded around something, blocking the focus of attention from sight. Kilik was walking fast enough that Soul had to jog a little to keep up. The wind was still, the reason Soul had decided they wouldn't sail today, only try to ensure the ship was up to par for the journey ahead of them. He thought it was likely this commotion was something idiotic Black Star had done, though a part of him worried for his often mad friend.<p>

"Back it up," Soul commanded roughly, the crew backed away as their captain approached making room for him to pass. At the center of the crowd was Black Star, he was pale faced and laid out on the deck, cradling a bloodied arm to his chest. He was pressing some sort of cloth to it to staunch the bleeding. His blue-haired friend grinned weakly at him and Soul knelt beside him trying to contain his worry. "What on earth did you do?" he said gruffly.

"Hand s-slipped while I was fixing up your damn ship," he chuckled a little and winced.

"Let me see it you damn fool." With surprisingly gentle hands he pulled Black Stars uninjured arm and wad of bloody cloth away and examined the wound with a grimace. The Master Carpenters arm was torn open from elbow to wrist, a deep cut. Blood seeped out slowly, the rate it was leaving him thankfully indicated no major arteries had been struck though this was more serious an injury than he or his sometimes Doctor most times cook could handle.

"He needs it cleaned well before its bandaged and stitched or it will fester and rot." Soul glanced up in surprise only just realizing his friend was not alone in the center of the crowd. The Japanese girl, the one from the most recent ship they'd captured had him cradled in her lap, her indigo eyes were wide and worried. "Do you have a ship Doctor?" she asked. Soul frowned.

"Jory but he's more cook than medic." The girl looked determined.

"I need two strong men to move him into the infirmary gently." Soul's eyebrows lifted but he wouldn't argue, if he remembered correctly the girl was a Naval Doctor. Plenty more experience than Jory the Cook. Rather than snap at her for speaking to him so casually he nodded.

"You got it Doc'," he snapped his fingers. "You heard the Doctor, get a move on!"

Two men lifted Black Star between them, Black Star protesting the whole time.

"Don't worry about me, nobody can heal as fast as-the great-Black Star!" The Master Carpenter's voice faded as, born between two of the crew, he was taken away to the ships infirmary. Soul caught the dark haired woman by the elbow before she followed.

"You take damn good care of him, understand me?" he spoke lowly, trying to sound menacing. She looked worried for a moment but her soft face hardened.

"I take my job very seriously, Mr. Pirate Sir. I take very good care of my patients, I took an oath. Regardless if they are friend or enemy I will heal them so long as I am able." She bowed her head curtly. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be excused to go tend to your crew member before he bleeds to death." As polite as her words were he could hear the faint distaste in her tone. He nodded and she bowed a little again before turning and trotting away hurriedly in the direction the others had left. He instructed a nearby crew member to keep him updated on Black Star's condition.

Soul tugged a hand through his hair and blew out a breath in relief. He may just have to hold onto that woman, it'd been awhile since they'd had a proper Doctor. The last had been held against his will and eventually escaped when they made port and the crew was too drunk to keep an eye on him. The Captain cursed when he remembered he'd left the other damned Navy woman in his cabin alone. He'd go back and she'd have concocted some new way to try and tear his throat out he was sure. She was more trouble than she was worth and her ability to hold a grudge was impressive. He thought vaguely it might be easier to maroon her on island somewhere.

He approached his cabin door reluctantly, surprised when he heard voices behind it. He paused for a moment.

"_This is crazy," _The Naval Captain's voice floated through the wood, muffled. _"How is this even possible? Oh never mind…listen, do you know where Dark Port is exactly? What is it close to?" _Frowning, Soul turned the doors handle to pull it open.

* * *

><p>There was another pop and a puff of smoke. She'd become a cat again. Or…was she always a cat? Maka frowned exasperatedly and the cat winked as the door opened behind her.<p>

"Who are you talking to?" he asked roughly, one of his eyebrows quirked and his head cocked. Maka's mouth hung open for a moment as she tried to form some sort of words. She must look absolutely crazy since she was the only one in the room besides the cat. The cat who was now acting like nothing more than a regular cat. Blair purred and began to clean herself.

"Uh…the…cat?" she said hesitantly. Soul twitched a little at her answer, his expression clearly confused.

'_Meow.' _Maka shot the cat a glare and she was certain Blair was smirking. She decided it would be best to change the subject.

"Where is Dark Port?" Maka asked suddenly. The silver haired devil chuckled.

"Oh you'll find out soon enough little sneak." She turned her glare on him as he stepped around the desk and fell into his chair. "Have you found anything else that interests you amongst my things." She itched to pull out the knife she'd hidden under her shirt and hold it to his throat; to show him he wasn't taking her seriously enough, she knew this wasn't the time though and kept her temper in check.

Making her way around the table she stood across from him. Soul yawned widely, rubbing his temples.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty tired of talking to you." He told her bluntly. She wanted to be outraged but she thought she shouldn't care so much. She hadn't wanted to speak with him in the first place.

"Well that's certainly fine by me, I didn't want to talk to you in the first place. You're the one who insisted we have this chat. I don't know what you thought it was accomplish." She snarled. He gave her a blank stare, his face void of emotion. For the first time she actually felt a small stab of fear at the sight of him.

"You are very lucky I'm not as cruel as I lead everyone to believe. A worse man would have you flogged and tied to the main mast for speaking to them the way you do to me. I must admit I grow tired of it." He leaned in closer, his voice a deadly whisper now. "You will refrain from speaking to me so disrespectfully. You may have been Captain on your ship but in case you've forgotten you are on board _mine _now and yours is a heaping pile of ash. Were your Doctor not assisting one of my crew at the moment so help me gods I would put you back in the dark to stay." He sat back with a dark expression. "To satisfy my immediate desire to punish you I will instead place you temporarily on bilge duty." Her eyes bulged for a moment and her mouth became a tight line. "If your behaviour improves or you consider sharing information with me I may consider allowing you another duty. You can report to Milky, I'm sure the others would be happy to oblige you with directions to him. Now get out of my sight damned woman."

Tensed, Maka turned and left the cabin without a word. The nerve of that bastard. Her, a bilge rat? She was Naval Captain. One of the very best. It was just so wrong. And what was that about Tsubaki helping one of his crew? How could she…a pirate…

Trembling with a swirl of overwhelming different emotions she went to find 'Milky'.

* * *

><p>Tsubaki poured heated water into the gash to clean it, the water turned pink from the blood and ran over her hands and onto the floor. Black Star hissed and grit his teeth with a serious face. In his good hand he clutched a bottle of rum, swigging off it generously. The Naval doctor popped the cork on another bottle.<p>

"This is going to sting," she told him softly. She poured the alcohol into the wound and the Carpenter bit his lip so hard he drew blood. "Careful." She said gently, dabbing his bleeding lip with a clean corner of the cloth. She inspected the wound for a moment, satisfied that it was clean she pressed a fresh piece of cloth against it and indicated Black Star should hold it to his chest while she prepared to close the wound. The medicine chest was surprisingly well stocked.

"You're lucky it was such a clean cut. It was deep but it'll sew up nicely and should heal just as well."

"I've got the body of a god and gods always heal perfectly." He slurred out, taking another swig of the rum to dull the pain. She smiled quietly, not commenting as he prattled on about how great he was and that it would take him no time to heal.

The needle sterilized and threaded Tsubaki sat back down beside her patient. She removed the cloth he'd been pressing to the wound moved his arm to rest in her lap.

"This is going to hurt." She warned and handed him a piece of leather. "You may want to bite down on this." He turned his head with a haughty expression.

"Feh, gods like me don't need such things. That puny needle can't hurt me!" She lifted and eyebrow sceptically.

"You should really consider using it, you already bit your lip and you don't want to bite your tongue or anything." He frowned and took another mouthful of rum.

"Trust me, a big star like me doesn't need it." With a sigh Tsubaki took the needle to his skin.

He was silent for the first time since he'd been brought in the room. His expression was stoic as Tsubaki stitched his skin back together neatly. Black Star only let out the smallest of sound of pain when she poked the needle through what appeared to be a more tender piece of skin. She didn't draw attention to the noise he made, she admired him for his pride and the way he put on such a brave face. It wasn't often she came across such a thing. She was more familiar with patients shrieking and crying, jerking away from her while she was trying to clean or sew them up.

She snipped off the long end and touched his arm softly. His hand twitched in her lap, pale and callused, covered in tiny scars from various wounds long healed. "All done," she told him. He drew his hand back and sat up, sucking back the rest of his bottle of rum. He swayed a bit on the spot and lifted his arm to examine the job she did.

"Y'know Doc', you did a damn good job." He flexed his fingers a bit.

"You should refrain from using it for awhile." She told him firmly. "It needs time to heal." He snorted in annoyance.

"I'll be fine, you did your job, no need to worry any further." The Doctor's pretty face was turned in an expression of disapproval.

"As your Doctor I am commanding you don't use your arm for at least two weeks."

"Two weeks!" He cried. "Maybe a regular person would need two weeks but me? No way!"

After much hassle she forced him into a sling, she would have to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't overuse his injured arm. She hadn't known him long but she didn't need to, to know he would not take well to having to rest it.

He thanked her and sloppily embraced her while trying to grope her in what she was sure he thought was a sly way. With infinite patience she managed to fend of his drunken advances and send him to his quarters.

Tsubaki tidied up the room and went to leave. As she was leaving she ran into Captain Soul, likely coming to check on his friend.

"Is he alright?" he asked roughly. She nodded.

"He'll be fine. He needs to easy up on the arm for a minimum of two weeks I think but I have a feeling he won't listen to that advice very well. If you see him using it, it would be best for you to tell him off." The Captain laughed.

"As if that fool will listen to me, though I'll do my best." Tsubaki nodded and smiled a little shyly. "While you're on board I've decided you'll continue to serve as ships Doctor. We haven't had a proper one in awhile." With that command the Pirate Captain turned and left, clearly it was not open for discussion. When it came down to it though Tsubaki didn't truly mind. Taking care of patients was what truly made her happy, it didn't matter to her if they were pirates or not.

What worried her most at this point was Maka. She would be furious that Tsubaki was helping them. Though her friends blind hatred of pirates was not completely unjustified it could at times be tiring. When she thought of Maka's history with pirates, it made her loathing much more understandable.

* * *

><p>Currently defeated Naval Captain Maka Albarn shifted in her place on the floor. She stank of bilge water and the deck was cold. After a thoroughly unpleasant day pumping the bilge water out of the ship with 'Milky' (a disturbing man with one milky coloured eye and a warped face) she had been allowed to eat something other than bread as she'd had the past three days. She'd found Tsubaki who had been thrilled to see her. Maka could not resist being little cold towards her, it bothered her a great deal how well her friend seemed to be getting along with the pirates.<p>

She missed her ship dreadfully. At least there everyone had their own bunk or hammock. Something other than the hard wooden deck to sleep on. With the current overflow of people due to the pirates most recent conquest there was limited sleeping space. Tsubaki had opted to stay in the infirmary, she'd said she wanted to start cleaning it up as it was not fit to be used yet.

Pillowing her head on her arm she closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Ignoring the hard floor beneath her, the disgusting smell of the bilge water and the fact that she was more lonely in that moment than she'd like to admit.

* * *

><p><em>She shivered as he pressed her up against the wall. His breath was hot on her neck as his lips trailed heated kisses across her chilled flesh. Her fingers wound their way into his always tousled curls and twisted it around her fingertips. The muffled sounds of the party nearby filled the air. <em>

_A shudder crawled across her as he reached around to her back and his knuckles slid down her spin gently. _

"_Captain." He whispered against her skin. Maka frowned suddenly and untangled her hand from his hair. She placed her hands flat against his chest and pushed him back softly. _

"_No." She whispered. "This is wrong. We can't do this." A look of hurt crossed his striking features and his blue-green eyes peered back at her sadly. _

"_Why?" he asked, he moved in a little closer, his hands cupping her cheeks. "Captain…Maka, I love you. I've wanted this for so long. What's so wrong about it?" _

"_We're not allowed. Sam if anyone found out." _

"_You're parents were on the same ship, they worked alongside each other too. It was widely known." Her eyes shone fiercely and her hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt. _

"_And look how well it worked out for them!" _

"_You want this too…I know you do." He whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. _

"_It doesn't matter what I want. I have to set an example, I'm a leader, a Captain." _

"_We can keep it a secret. If you won't let me make it known that I love you at least let me express how I feel for you in private." _

"_I-I don't know." She sighed heavily and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. "I just…don't think it's a good idea." With those words and one more gentle kiss she ducked under his arm and dashed away from him into the night her head swimming. _

* * *

><p><strong>So very sorry for taking so long to update! I've been super duper busy the past little while. For those still following- 'Is this Sound Okay?' I am definitely updating that soon I promise! D:<br>**

**I've been doing some research for this story, about pirate crews and ships, etc. I'm trying to keep some accuracies, now its definitely not going to completely depict the way things with pirates really were as I am no expert but I enjoy throwing in some actualities. For those who are not aware of some of the information I may include I will provide definitions. If I miss something just let me know and I'll gladly provide more information on it. For his Chapter:  
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**Bilge: Basically just really disgusting water that gathers at the very bottom of the ship. It can be a combination of stale sea water, deceased fish, feces etc. It needs to be cleaned out to prevent from rotting out the ship or weighing it down. There are a few ways of cleaning it out, using a bilge pump or in some cases buckets (gross right?) and often cleaning it out serves as a punishment. A Bilge Rat, is a rat living at the very bottom of the ship and often used as an insulting term with pirates or I suppose any sailors. **

**Real Doctors on pirate ships were generally hard to come by (Often the cook or carpenter would stand in as a temporary) And usually when they did have a true Doctor on the ship they were held against their will. (Lovely right?) **

**Anyways! I believe that is everything I wanted to clarify for now. More to come! Later Chapters will elaborate on some of the things I touched on in this one. Blair, Maka's hatred for Pirates, Her and Samuel's relationship etc. so patience my friends :D  
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**Reviews shall earn you a super excellent treasure map! XD**

**-Song :3  
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	4. Chapter 4

**An update! c:  
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**I apologize for the wait! This is not quite as soon as I would have liked to have this one up...ehehe ^^;**

**Anways, without further adieu, enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Four<span>_

Soul watched Maka work from a distance. It had been a week and a half since he'd let her out of the dark. After their discussion in his cabin he hadn't spoken to her but he'd been observing her from afar ever since. He wasn't sure if it was just because he worried she would cause trouble or if it was because something about her interested him.

"You should really put a belay pin on that," she told one of the crew as she passed. The rigger looked alarmed but did as she instructed.

She did that sort of thing often, corrected shoddy work, assisted when she saw someone struggling with something and all the while continued her duties she'd been assigned that day by his mates. He'd moved her off bilge duty after a short while, her skills and knowledge made her valuable elsewhere. He shouldn't be surprised he supposed, she wouldn't have been the youngest naval Captain to date for nothing. Soul absently wondered why she had made such a change in her behavior, perhaps she was just biding her time? Preparing to attack him when the opportunity presented itself?

He sighed heavily, now he was just being paranoid. She laughed at something one of her former crew members said and he absently admired the way her face lit up as she did. It was nice to see her not scowling for once, a rarity to be sure. She kept her distance from his crew but interacted with her own comfortably. However, many of the captured crew were getting along well with his. He was excited at the prospect of some wanting to stay on when they reached port. The crew had been short for awhile now and they could use some new hands. Of course, they wouldn't just be accepted, there was a test to pass, but they would come to that later.

He leaned on the railing awhile later, watching her from the corner of his eye. Some sort of argument began to brew as she shouted at one of the mates, it was the Master Riggers first mate and he looked unimpressed, bearing down on her and shouting back.

"You think you could do better?" he snarled. She folded her arms across her chest and stared him down.

"As a matter of fact, yes." The rigger looked exasperated.

"Well then miss fancy navy woman," -Soul groaned inwardly at the pathetic insult attempt- "off you go, lets see." She took the challenge without question, rushing forward she leapt onto the shroud, pulling herself up the ropes, she climbed.

She reached her destination quickly, a speck high above the deck. He watched her nimbly walk out along the beam, she adjusted some of the ropes and retied something, too small to see from this distance. Not caring who caught him spying he pulled out his scope and peered through the eyeglass at the blonde girl clambering around on his sails.

* * *

><p>Maka finished firmly knotting the rigging and tightening the sail, it had been tied piss-poorly before and when she had called the rigger on it he had denied and said it was perfect. She could not let it pass and so she was now high above the deck balancing barefoot on the beam of the main topsail.<p>

The past week had been surprisingly more than bearable, this had mainly come down to her pretending she wasn't on a pirate ship and trying to just focus on the pleasure of sailing. She'd decided the faster she got off this ship the better and by her assisting instead of hindering they could only move more quickly.

The wind whipped at her hair as it filled the newly tightened sail and it billowed out like a cloud. She grinned and clutched the ropes, gazing out at the horizon. Nothing but light blue sky and rolling deep blue waves. She hung forward on the ropes recklessly, grinning from ear to ear. It was almost pleasant, not being in charge for once. It didn't matter if she climbed the rigging and hung from the sails, nobody would be disappointed or lose faith in her as their Captain.

She sat down on the edge of the beam, her feet dangling in the air. She peered at the foremast's stay. The wind tugged a strand of her hair out of the bands she'd used to tie it up. Her mind wandered to thoughts of Sam and her heart twisted painfully inside her. She murmured his name softly to herself. He would be so worried about her if he saw her clambering around up here. What would he make of this situation? This ship, this crew?

On a whim she untied the bandanna she wore around her neck and eyed the stay, it was at a steady angle leading down to the deck below. Smiling; she stood again, what she planned to do was foolish, idiotic even, but she suddenly felt she needed to do it.

Nervous, she bit her lip, but she was resolved. Dashing across the beam she leapt out into the air, her stomach dropped as she started to fall, before she plunged towards the deck she whipped her bandanna around the rope, catching the other end. It slid across the rope smoothly and just like that she was zip-lining down towards the deck and laughing as she went.

* * *

><p>Soul nearly dropped the eyeglass, the girl was insane. She soared down the line, her laughter drawing everyone's attention. Reaching the bottom she let go and curled into a ball, tumbling onto the deck safely and rolling up to the rigger who had challenged her's feet. She sat there and grinned at him like a fool.<p>

The crew who had been watching her broke into applause and the Naval Doctor came rushing towards her looking a combination of terrified and angry. He could hear her berating the former Captain as fiercely as someone gentle as Tsubaki could. Maka appeared unfazed, she shrugged and stood gracefully. Soul moved closer to make out what they were saying.

"Maka why would you do such a thing?"

"I don't know, it seemed like a good idea."

"That was so incredibly dangerous! What if you'd fallen?"

"But I didn't did I?"

"Maka…you're a Captain, what's gotten into you? You've never been so reckless, I'm just shocked! Should I be worried about your mental health? What would Sam think-" Tsubaki froze mid sentence her eyes going wide as saucers for a moment; Maka stiffened. Apparently what Tsubaki had said had gone too far. Maka's eyes narrowed and Tsubaki backed down a bit. "I'm sorry…but that's what this is about isn't it?" The blonde's aura turned dark and she turned away, arms crossed.

"Don't be ridiculous why would it be?"

"Being reckless with your safety because he's gone is wrong-" Tsubaki said softly. "Sam wouldn't want that. You know he wouldn't."

"How would you know what he'd want?" Maka said sharply. And so she left, storming off. The Doctor looked a little lost and sad for a moment but Black Star came bounding up to her yammering about his arm. She had somehow miraculously managed to have him keep it in his sling. Distracted by the blue-haired carpenter they headed towards her infirmary.

Leaning against the rail he wondered who Sam was and where he was. Maka's lover perhaps? Judging from the two girls conversation most likely. A part of him thought someone had mentioned him before but he hadn't bothered to listen well enough to really remember.

"Something troubling you Captain?" Startled, Soul glanced over his shoulder at his Master Gunner. Kid moved in to stand beside him.

"No not really." Kid's dark eyebrows lifted.

"Somehow I don't think you're telling the truth." Soul shrugged and Kid watched him curiously. "Its that woman isn't it?" Soul shot him a look and the dark haired boy grinned. "What can I say I'm a mind reader? Not to mention you've been blatantly watching her for days now. So what is it? You've grown fond of her?"

Soul made a face. "Not even, the damn woman tried to kill me, and she'd do it again if she had the chance. I can't figure out why she's been so good though. I keep expecting her to pull something."

"Why not keep her in the dark then?"

"How can I woo her crew into joining us if they're angry with me for locking her up? Besides she hasn't given me any reason to. She's downright helpful."

Kid looked pensive for a moment as the two stood watching the horizon, the sky was growing darker as the sun went down. It melted into an indigo colour, streaked with purples and pinks. The Master Gunner weighed his words unsure if his suggestion was wise, he decided to voice his thoughts anyways.

"You know…you've been short a quartermaster for awhile now…" he trailed off suggestively. Soul looked horrified.

"What part of the fact that she tried to kill me don't you understand?"

"I know, but she hasn't since." He turned and gestured to her where she was assisting with swabbing the deck, she was showing a deckhand how to most effectively clean the deck without leaving a sopping mess for someone to slip overboard on. Kid looked back at his Captain with a slight smile. "She commands respect, you've seen that these past days as much as I have. And she isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, she's a damn hard worker. Not to mention her symmetry is perfection," he finished appreciatively. Soul scoffed and turned away from her hard working form, a silhouette against the burning horizon.

"You left out the fact that the woman despises pirates. Do you honestly think she would agree to become one?" He shook his head. "Not a chance." Kid chuckled.

"Hm, it was just a thought, you never know."

* * *

><p>Night fell and the lanterns were lit around the deck. Maka stood at the edge of the quarter deck, slumped over the rail and looking out at still glowing horizon, the sun having not quite disappeared yet. There was the soft sound of paws on wood as a cat leapt up onto the railing beside her. <em>'Meow'.<em> Maka glared at her for a moment. "Shoo!" she hissed. "As if I need you talking to me out in the open like this." A group of pirates were laughing raucously nearby, they didn't appear to be paying very much attention.

The cat laughed softly. "As if those oafs would notice, they're drunk already." Maka sighed heavily and gave the cat that truth at least. She hadn't spoken to Blair for the past week and half she'd been on the ship really, though Blair was often under foot. Doing figure eight around her legs, rubbing against her as she worked or even just sitting nearby and watching her with slitted eyes, purring loudly. The pirates found it amusing and often reminded her that it was unusual for Blair to take a shine to anyone; they often mentioned that she was the cat 'Mad Marty' liked to talk to. Mad Marty was an old man who Maka couldn't believe was still able to walk, he was practically blind, talked to himself constantly and never stopped trembling like he was freezing.

Maka rested her chin in her hand and stared back at the amber orbs glowing in her direction. "So, what have you come to tell me? That you're a not just a magical cat but a fairy princess from a spectacular kingdom in the sky?" Blair laughed a little, her small cat shoulders shaking.

"Oh my, how silly. Don't be ridiculous," the purple cat rose and moved closer. "You asked me a question last time we were together. I've come to answer it." The blonde's eyes rolled almost involuntarily.

"I asked you a lot of questions last time we were alone. I recall you answering very few of them."

"You asked why I don't reveal myself to the crew."

"Oh yes that." Maka didn't want to admit she was still curious about it.

"Well first of all there are the most obvious reasons." The cat sat back on her haunches and began to tick off reasons on her paws. It was a bizarre thing to watch. "I'm a beautiful woman, lonely men at sea…it'd just be asking for trouble."

"And what about the other girl's on the ship. The two sisters get along fine enough without being harassed. Myself and Tsubaki haven't been bothered once." Blair shook her little purple head.

"You're all tough. I'm more delicate…also prettier." Maka's eyebrows lifted and Blair smiled. "Nyah, just being honest," she winked. "Also, the Captain on this ship doesn't tolerate rape." Maka cocked her head. "Its true," Blair insisted. "The last time one of the crew tried something he ran the man through, though not before tying him to the deck for a week. The man was asking to die by the end of his punishment."

The Naval Captain had to admit this surprised her. Though she supposed not every pirate would be the same. Didn't everyone draw a line somewhere? Not that the line was that broad, after all the punishment issued was barbaric. Then again…the man deserved it if he'd raped someone didn't he? Maka gave her head a shake, her thoughts unclear on the matter.

"Anyways," Blair continued. "Besides those obvious reasons. My main reason for being here is I'm on a mission." Maka wanted to laugh but contained herself at the sight of the cat's serious expression.

"Mission?" she said instead. The cat nodded sagely.

"I was sent here by someone very important." The blonde was doubtful though she kept this to herself. "Its going to sound crazy-"

"I doubt this whole situation could be any crazier than it already is," she couldn't resist interrupting. Blair looked annoyed but went on.

"I was sent here to wait for you."

"For me?" Maka's brow furrowed. "How is that even possible?"

"There are bigger things at work than you know. You and Captain Soul being in the same waters was not a coincidence." More intrigued than she would have liked to admit Maka leaned in.

"Of course not, I was following him on orders from my superiors…"

"You were meant to die when you met Soul out here. The one's orchestrating what's happening expected you to be killed, they counted on your stubborn nature to make it happen."

"How do you know this? How could the person who sent you here know this?" She shrugged.

"Don't ask me, I'm just doing what I was told."

"And what were you told?"

"I was told to come on this ship and wait. Told at some point they would capture another ship's crew and you would be among them. My job is to make sure you stay alive long enough to reach Dark Port."

"Dark Port? The place I read on the map, where is Dark Port? I've never heard of it till now." Blair sighed heavily and licked her paw.

"It's a pirate's port. On an island as far away from the Navy as they can get."

Maka's eyes shone in the dark. "A _pirates port._" She breathed, half excited. "And they're going to show me where it is…" she whispered, not listening to Blair who was desperately trying to gain her attention again in the background. "This is too good!" she laughed. "I'll get a message back to the General and he'll send ships…we can take them all down…" she continued to murmur to herself excitedly.

"No! You can't, that's not what supposed to happen!" Blair insisted. Maka ignored her still.

"Maka is that you?" Blair immediately stopped talking and Maka whirled around to face Tsubaki appearing from out of the darkness of the ship.

"Yes," she answered.

"Who were you talking to?" her friend asked. Maka looked sheepish for a moment.

"Oh um-" she chuckled a little. "The cat actually, though more to myself than anything. Just…feeling lonely you know." She didn't completely feel terrible for lying as it wasn't entirely a lie. She was lonely.

The dark-haired Doctor looked sad as she moved closer to lean on the rail beside her. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. A breeze drifted by the pleasant salt smell of the sea drowning out the stench of the crew. "I haven't been around like I should have…I-just…"

"Its fine." Maka interrupted, a little colder than she'd intended. Tsubaki looked at her with wide eyes.

"I know you're angry that I've been helping the pirates but Maka I'm a Doctor…I can't turn people away who need my help." Maka closed her eyes. "I know you hate them…but they're…this crew…its not as bad." She didn't say anything, couldn't bring herself to say anything. They'd had this conversation a few times over the past week and half. Anytime she thought she might agree with Tsubaki she remembered what made her hate the pirates in the first place.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hide. Don't come out no matter what happens." Her mothers voice was urgent as she shoved her only daughter into the crawl space beneath the stairs in their house. <em>

_She crouched in the dark, wide little girl eyes staring up at her mother fearfully. "Where's Papa?" She asked in a small voice. Kami Albarn didn't answer her, she didn't have to, despite her youth Maka knew where he father was. Out with some less than reputable lady as usual. She was too afraid to spare time thinking on how she angry she was at him for not being there in that moment. _

_The shouting and screaming outside was loud and rising even louder; it was moving closer she was sure, that was why her mother was hiding her in the crawl space. She watched as Kami removed her skirts, a pair of men's trousers underneath. Her mother's glittering sword hung nearby and Kami retrieved it, shoving it in her belt. _

_Spotting her daughter watching she grabbed a handful of linens and shoved them on top of her. Maka heard rather than saw the crawl space door close. "Remember my heart," her mother whispered through the door. "Do not come out for anything."_

_For awhile the house was silent. Only the sounds of gunfire and swords echoed nearby. It grew louder until someone was hammering on their door. Unable to go without seeing Maka threw the linen's off of herself and moved to the door, she peered through the keyhole. _

_Her mother was sitting vigil in a chair in front of the door. She held a loaded rifle in one hand and a sword in another. Maka had never seen her mother fight, she knew she was amazing from the stories people told but she'd only ever seen her mother in skirts acting like, quite simply, her mother. _

_The door crashed inward and a man with no teeth hurried in, wailing. The rifle in her mother's hands fired and the man fell over. Maka couldn't contain her gasp, she'd never seen a man die before. With no time to reload her mother tossed it aside and lifted her sword as another pirate came barrelling through the now open doorway._

_The fight seemed to last a lifetime, the combatants unaware of the small green eye peering through the key hole at them. Every time her mother was injured Maka thought her little heart might explode; it thundered in her chest like a little bird desperately trying to escape its cage. _

_Her mother cut down another pirate, though as she did she was struck in the back of her legs. She dropped to her knees, bloodied and beaten. She swayed slightly on the spot. Maka felt the tears sliding down her cheeks but ignored them, unable to take her eyes away from the scene. _

_An explosion occurred outside, smoke billowing outwards. From the smoke emerged a dark figure. The figured strode into the room, hands on his hips he stood before her mother. _

"_Kami Albarn," he said softly. Her mother spat at his feet and he backhanded her roughly. "Take her." He told his crew. They gripped her mother around her arms and dragged her from the house._

_Maka never saw her mother again. _

* * *

><p>That was why Maka hated pirates. A pirate had stolen her mother and quite effectively ruined her life.<p>

Leaving her only with her good for nothing father, Maka was forced to move to the habour city permanently. The one good thing that came of it though was that by being in the city she learned she loved to sail and was damn good at it. So she vowed she would become Captain of her own ship and one day hunt down the man who had stolen her mother.

When she came of age and was making her own money with her career in the navy she had returned to the village and bought a house. She made it her home and went back to re-establish her roots.

Never in all her life had she imagined she would end up on a pirate ship, cooperating with pirates. Having to shove down and lock up the feeling that maybe…just maybe…they weren't all the same. Perhaps it was as Tsubaki said and they weren't _that _bad_._

She wanted to retch at the thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Piratical terms for this chapter.**

**Belay pin: Basically a fancy term for a clip that holds the rigging (ropes) in place.**  
><strong>Shroud: Shrouds are pieces of standing rigging which hold the mast up from side to side. Generally they are on each side of the boat. A shroud generally connects to the top of the mast and are either connected to chain plates which are tied into the hull or held outboard (the outer sides of the ship) by channels which is a ledge that keeps them out of the way essentially.<strong>  
><strong>Stay: Ropes holding sails in place that reach all the way down to the bow of the ship<strong>

**I believe that should be good for now! If there was anything I missed or anything you might just be curious about for explanation let me know! Also, for any sailing experts out there I am aware there are likely many inaccuracies and the bit with Maka zip lining may seem far fetched but keep in mind, despite my attempts at some fact it is always in the end, a piece of fiction ehehe… c:**

**That's all for now!**

**-Song :3**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello!**

**So here we have another update! c: Hooray!**

**I just want to say I completely appreciate all the reviews this story has been getting. You people keep me going :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER  
><strong>

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><p><em>Five<em>

The clouds rode low in the sky, flat like a sheet they spread out above the ship in wispy tendrils of grey and white. Maka watched them apprehensively from her place high above the deck. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed scrambling around the rigging and her previous adventure up the sails two days prior had reminded her.

The morning had been warm and sticky, Maka had been thankful blue crew didn't have duties that afternoon as she was certain that there would be a call for all hands that evening. A storm was coming, she could feel it, taste it. A person didn't practically live on the sea without picking up a sixth sense about these types of things. It has always been a gift of hers, she always knew when a storm was on its way. She worried if Soul was as good a Captain as he claimed. Hopefully he was reading the signs like she was.

She stood clutching he ropes as the boat rocked; the wind and waves were already rougher than they'd been in days. With a sigh she began her way down the rigging before Tsubaki saw she was up there again and had a fit.

Twelve hours. She was certain that was all they had until it hit.

* * *

><p><em>The First Hour<em>

"Have any of you seen the Captain?" Maka asked the group gathered around a barrel turned into a makeshift table. Cards and assorted pieces of money and gold were scattered across it.

They ignored her at first, continuing their game of cards. Patti laughed and tossed in two of the many glittering rings that bedazzled her fingers. "I raise you two," she grinned. Maka had no idea what game they were playing, it was no game she'd ever seen. Liz picked up a card only to cuss loudly and throw down her handful of cards immediately afterward. She folded her arms across her chest with a grimace. It wasn't long before the two men playing with them followed suit. Patti cackled as she dragged her winnings into her lap with a pleased expression.

Maka had waited patiently for them to finish though she had to admit her patience was wearing thin. Patti put on one of her sisters large hoop earrings and blew a kiss to her cheekily, Liz scowled. "I always liked these earrings," she grinned. Liz made a face and gestured to her own ear where she still wore the match to the one her sister had won.

"You only got one you little brat. Now we look ridiculous." Patti shrugged and admired her reflection in a piece of gold.

"I like it." One of the men, a blonde haired man who was partially balding rolled his eyes.

"You always win Patti I don't know how you bloody do it," his tone was exasperated.

The bystander blonde cleared her throat, four pairs of eyes turned to her. "As I was saying, have any of your seen the Captain?" Patti shrugged while stuffing her pockets with as much of her winnings as she could carry. The older of the two sisters leaned back a little in her chair.

"I think he's in the cargo hold," she suggested helpfully. Maka turned to go. "What did you want him for?" She glanced back with a sigh.

"I'm pretty certain a storm is on its way, figured I'd mention it to him if he hasn't already noticed."

Patti clucked her tongue not taking her eyes off her winnings. Maka raised an eyebrow, turning her attention back to Liz who explained what her sister meant. "The Captain won't like you mentioning things to him."

"That's ridiculous. He needs to be aware." The sister shrugged and went back to chatting with the two male crew members gathered around the barrel with them.

* * *

><p><em>The Third Hour<em>

"You have to listen!" She wanted to scream in frustration. He'd been down in the cargo hold for a whole bloody hour with Pete counting their loot to figure what each crew members share would be when it was divvied up. Soul had sort of, adopted, Pete as his cabin boy. He was smart, came from a good family, could read and write, knew numbers and such. It killed Maka to see how starry eyed Pete was about helping the pirate captain. His parents would lose their minds if they saw him now.

Soul observed the piece of parchment and ticked off another item with his quill. "I am listening, I'm just busy," he told her as he continued with what he was doing.

"Doesn't this take precedence?" she demanded.

"I suppose," he sighed. "Look what do you want me to do? Get everyone all worked up over a hunch?" Maka groaned and draped herself off a crate dramatically.

"You can't _feel _it?" Red eyes watched her with a blank expression.

"Feel what?" he said finally after an uncomfortable pause.

"The storm. Its coming. I swear to you it will be here in less than twelve hours." She closed her eyes and let the tingling sensation wash over her, grow stronger. Her hand lifted and she pointed south despite not being able to see the sky. "Its coming from that way."

He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, the snowy white locks falling back around his face again despite his attempts to remove them from his vision. "Listen. I'm really busy right now. I'll do something about it later." Maka prepared to rip into him.

The sound of a throat clearing drew the feuding captain's attention. Pete stood nearby with wide blue eyes. "Um…Captain Soul Sir…" he began nervously. "Not to speak out of place or anything but Captain Maka has a sense about these sorts of things. Every time I've ever heard her say a storms coming it does…" Maka wanted to squeeze the younger boy into a hug for defending her. Soul puffed out a breath and after a tense moment of decision he nodded, tossing the parchment to Pete who caught it deftly.

"Alright. Lead on lady storm chaser."

* * *

><p><em>The Seventh Hour<em>

"Helm-a-lee!" Soul's voice boomed out across the ship as the crew scurried about to follow his instructions.

Maka's hair whipped around her face in the strong wind. "This is your plan?" She said in disbelief as she followed behind him while he strode across the deck. "You think you can _outrun _it?" The Pirate Captain shrugged and pulled out his eyeglass, observing the dark clouds that lined the horizon. She certainly hadn't been lying when she'd said she could feel it. He had to admit, it was a handy ability to have.

It had been so far off a few hours ago he hadn't even been prepared to pay it any attention. But the winds had lifted, the waves had gotten more choppy and now he could see the menacing darkness that lined the skyline to the south. His plan now was to take advantage of the strong wind and outrun it. If they stayed ahead of it long enough it would die out before reaching them. He'd avoided storms that way before. That or they would beat it into port he hoped, they weren't that far off anyways.

The blonde Captain had been following him for the past few hours nagging him with what she would do if she were in charge. She was driving him crazy, clearly not being in charge was driving _her _crazy.

"The wind is too wild Captain!" one of the riggers called as a line was blown out of his grasp. The sails weren't filling out, the wind was moving in too many directions and they were snapping madly as a result. He cursed quietly in hopes Maka wouldn't realize he was realizing she was right.

* * *

><p><em>The Tenth Hour<em>

The crew was tense all around. Blue crew was waking for their shift and slowly being made aware of the situation at hand. Maka hadn't slept though she knew they would be up the rest of the night. Red crew was even less fortunate as they came to the realization when the storm hit the Captain would call all hands and their brief rest period would be cut short.

Maka tugged on the ropes as they lowered the top gallant sails, they would do them no good in a storm and at this point it was painfully obvious the storm would overtake them.

Upon finishing their task Maka found she was still worrying how good this pirate crew really was. This storm was a heavy one, she could already tell. If there was ever a time that would test a crews measure it would be in a storm like the one on its way. The sky was already growing dark as she expected.

"Maka?" The former Captain turned, her dark-haired friend approaching. Tsubaki looked nervous, chewing her lip. "Have you spoken to Captain Soul?" Maka cocked her head.

"About what?" Tsubaki squirmed a bit, her expression clearly indicating she'd hoped Maka would have already known what she meant.

"I was just thinking…you should take the wheel for tonight." Maka's eyebrows shot up and she couldn't contain her laugh.

"You think he would let me take the wheel of his ship? Not a chance." Tsubaki sighed.

"I suppose so but I just-would feel a lot safer knowing you had it." Maka rubbed her eyes tiredly, she should have slept she was regretting it already with what was facing them.

"He has someone named Kal on the wheel. I don't know who he is." Maka hated this, not being familiar with the crew made her very uncomfortable. She met her friends indigo eyes with her own. "All we can do is hope Kal knows what he's doing."

* * *

><p><em>The Twelfth Hour<em>

As predicted the rain started as the twelfth hour struck. It started as a drizzle, a few drops overhead but it quickly grew harder. The drops pelted them sharply, little ice cold bullets, striking the deck and any person left exposed on it. The wind grew and the sea began to churn, turning a deep green colour as it roiled beneath them tossing the ship about.

Maka pushed her sopping wet hair from her eyes as the boat rocked beneath her feet. A swell of gray-green water washed over the deck and Maka's bare toes. She had opted for a surer footing with unprotected bare feet rather than boots that could easily result in tossing her over the side. The water itself was surprisingly warm, sharply so in comparison to the rain.

She held fast to the safety lines tied all around the deck, making her way about while clutching them tightly as everyone else was. The rope burned her hands a strange contrast to the rest of her frozen limbs. Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the rest of the crew moving about with heads bowed against the wind and rain.

The rain seemed to come first from one side and then another. Always changing, never content to fall straight down. It seemed no matter which way she turned her head it was set on flying straight at her face. Thunder rumbled loudly and she heard Soul shouting commands. "How much water in the well?" He boomed. She had to admit he had the voice and lungs of a Captain, his voice carried even over the wind screaming through the lines and yards overhead where the sails were tightly furled.

"Captain!" Black Star shouted, his soaking blue haired head popping up in the hatchway. Soul turned spotting the carpenter calling for his attention. "Three feet water in the well and rising! We've busted a seam somewhere! I need some men for a repair party!" Soul glanced around the deck with a grimace, despite the chaos he saw he knew he needed to inspect the damage and determine how many he could spare for it. He barked orders to Kid who was looking rather like someone had tried to drown him at the moment and then disappeared below deck.

The ship was heeled over too far starboard, alarmed Maka's eyes snapped to the wheel, nobody was manning the second and in sea's this strong Kal was struggling to keep control of it. Maka pulled herself along the safety lines quickly, water sluicing over the deck as waves as tall as the ships hull crested over them. She dashed up to the wheel just as it seemed to slip from Kal's white knuckled grip. Her hands wrapped around the spokes as well holding it firmly in place.

Kal peered at her from out of his oil cloak and she imagined a grateful expression though she couldn't truly see it due to the dark and the rain. The wheel was tight in her grasp, she could feel it trembling beneath her hands, the rudder struggling to fly free in the churning waters.

Lightning flashed again and revealed Soul returning from below deck, he shouted some orders to other members and a few went below decks as well. In return a few men came up though so as not to leave the deck short.

"Maka!" His voice was sharp as he called out to her. Her head snapped to the side, still holding the wheel tightly. The red-eyed Captain looked furious though she couldn't imagine why. He was moving towards her at a steady pace but she chose to ignore him and focus on the wheel instead, it needed all their attention or they would go careening out of control.

"_Wave_!" Kid's voice broke through the clamour of the storm. Maka's eyes widened as the ship jerked and a bolt of lightning lit up a massive wave, at least 40 feet high preparing to break over them. She cursed under her breath and in that moment the wave broke, slamming down overhead. She hardly had time to hold her breath. Her eyes flew open as the water receded and she was able to gasp for breath. With a stab of alarm she realized Kal was gone, the sea had reached out and snatched him back so quickly she hadn't even realized it had happened. There was no time to spare though, it took all her strength to hold the wheel in place and keep them from keeling over.

The sky rumbled with more thunder in the moment a sheet of lightning covered the sky. Her hair stuck to her cheeks and forehead, plastered there by the rain. Her hands were like ice as the wind tore across her wet skin. "_Wave!_" another voice shouted, this one unfamiliar. The warning came too late though.

Grey-green water became her world in that moment, swirling around her and pulling her feet out from under her. Her hands were ripped from the wheel and as the wave pulled back she could feel herself being sucked back with it into the sea. The air burst from her lungs as she struck the railing, she sucked in a mouthful of sea water and her lungs burned. She squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach rose in her throat while she fell, preparing to hit the water below and be lost forever.

A hand clasped around her wrist tightly, despite the cold it was still warm. Her eyes snapped open as her fall came to an abrupt halt. She dangled over the side of the ship coughing water from her lungs, green eyes flicking up she found who had saved her. The Pirate Captain's red eyes were trained on her with a concentrated expression. His white hair was plastered to his head from all the water and the cords of muscle in his arm stood out as he strained to hold her with one hand, rivulets of water running down. He reached with his other hand to get a better grip. He had a safety line tied around his waist to keep himself from going over as well as the vessel bucked beneath them.

Maka's legs scrambled for a hold, feet kicking out trying to get a grip. Finally her feet touched the side of the ship, they skidded off the side as she tried to help him pull her up. Reaching the edge they both tumbled over the side and onto the deck in a tangle of wet limbs. Maka ended up on top of him, panting heavily, his own chest rising and falling beneath hers with laboured breaths.

Their eyes met for a moment and she murmured her thanks. He nodded, eyes smouldering, before she rolled off of him and hurried back to the wheel that Kid had made a grab for when she nearly went over the side.

Reaching the wheel she and Kid hauled on it, trying to put them back on course as the weather raged on.

* * *

><p>The sky was so clear it was difficult to believe only a few hours before it had been a tumultuous mixture of swirling black clouds and rain. The storm had vanished as abruptly as it had came. Soul frowned, for how wicked it had been it seemed to have left them with little damage. Black Star was obnoxiously ordering everyone to assist him with repairs and then telling them off for doing it all wrong. It was a ridiculous waste of time since he just ended up doing it himself in the end and in half the time.<p>

Soul still felt damp, the sun had dried him mostly but a lingering dampness continued to remain. The crew had only suffered one major loss with Kal who had been swept out to sea and a few minor injuries with assorted members of the crew. Tsubaki had her hands full treating the group of whiners.

He found, much to his discomfort, that he kept reliving the moment he saved Maka's life. The moment he had seen her going over the side he felt a sudden need to help her, even though he should have grabbed for the wheel. To not let the ship go careening out of control and drown all of them was clearly more important than saving one insolent woman. How easy the wrong choice had been for him disturbed him.

Not to mention the way his body had reacted to her when she'd fallen on top of him. The image of her soaking wet, chest rising and falling with panting breaths; at just the right angle for him to see the swell of her small breasts down her shirt, kept flashing across the backs of his eyelids.

Captain Soul Eater had always had a firm reign on his libido, sure occasionally he would note a girl was attractive and plenty of whores at the brothels they visited tried to get him in bed but he had just never let that particular…emotion? rule him. It was a distraction and often made men weak, too many unmanly emotions tangled with the act. He'd seen plenty of good men done in by their lustful tendencies.

He thought perhaps because of the way he restricted himself was why he was having such trouble getting the image of her out of his head. Green eyes burning like emeralds lit on fire, her hair plastered to her cheeks and neck. He sighed and rubbed his eyes as though he were trying to rub the image away. It had been too long since he'd given in to any sort of sexual release, surely that was why he was having such trouble forgetting that moment. After all, how could he be attracted to that disobedient, infuriating woman?

"Soul." He nearly jumped out of his skin, whirling. Speak of the damn devil. Clearly the devil was a woman and she was standing before him with the ever present look of distaste on her features. Soul grit his teeth.

"That's _Captain._" He corrected sharply. She rolled her eyes and he wanted to yell.

"How much longer to port, _Captain?_" Her tone was mocking.

"You are trying my patience here woman!" She frowned.

"Sorry." He gave her a confused expression, not believing that word had just came out of her mouth.

"_Land Ho! Dark Port off the larboard side!" _the top eyes shouted from the crows nest. Soul pulled out his eyeglass and pointed it in the direction indicated. He could see the outline of the port in the distance, could hear the collective chatter of excitement amongst the crew. It was almost like coming home to them, or as close as it could come be. He snapped his eyeglass closed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Some terms that may require some explanation! Let me know if you have questions about anything else! J**

**Helm-a-lee: It's a term that a crew member generally yells out when the Captain changes the heading and the boom swings hard and fast across the deck. When someone yells 'Helm-a-lee' well, lets just say you'd better duck! ^^**  
><strong>Top gallant sails: On a square rigged ship a top gallant sail is the sail or in some cases, multiple sails, at the very top of the masts. In a storm they get lowered or they have the potential to tip the ship right over when the wind takes them. <strong>

**At one point Soul asks 'How much water in the well?' and Black Star also shouts how its 'Three feet and counting'. Basically the well is where water sloshes in, the same place bilge water collects. In a storm its going to fill very quickly and if it gets too full it can sink the ship so it needs to be constantly manned while a storm is happening. There is usually a pump system to keep it low but with a storm occurring it may sometimes require men to be constantly bailing it out. **

**The Hatchway: Just a trapdoor leading down below deck. **

**Black Star says they 'Busted a seam' at one point. A seam is where two hull planks meet and what he means is quite simply they sprung a leak. **

**I also referred to 'Red Crew' and 'Blue Crew' in this chapter without an in depth explanation. Basically its just two different shifts. After all, can't have everyone working around the clock J **

**In some cases the Captain will call 'all hands' which I'm sure you already figured out means that both shifts need to be at work due to whatever situation be it a storm, or an enemy attack. **

**Starboard: To the right in nautical terms. **  
><strong>Larboard: To the left in nautical terms. Interestingly enough after a little bit of research I found out larboard is a sort of archaic term nowadays; in these modern times people only say 'port' however for whatever reason 'starboard' hasn't changed. <strong>  
><strong>Anyhoo! That's all for now!<strong>

**Arrghh, ye best be reviewin' mateys! ;P**

**-Song :3**


	6. Chapter 6

**Woo here is the next chapter! We're getting into some plot lines here people…I'm pumped about it…I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**I really super duper appreciate everyone who is following, reading and reviewing! The reviews mean a lot to me and though my ridiculously busy life right now doesn't allow for me to always respond I read them all and love it when I see new ones :3 Thank you so much! You're all rad!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Six<span>_

"You are to make sure that she doesn't leave the ship. Understand?" The two sisters gave him identical expression's of annoyance. Patti folded her arms across her ample bosom and her elder sister Liz frowned and sighed heavily. She eyed him, wagging a finger.

"You have no faith in us!" she said in annoyance. "We've guarded the ship before and the last time our ship's doctor escaped it was totally not our fault!" Patti nodded with a grim expression.

"Yeah, we weren't even on duty that night!" Soul sighed exasperatedly.

"I know I just want you to be careful. She's the best Doctor we've had in awhile I'd hate to lose her." Patti slapped the Captain on the back with a chuckle.

"What are you so worried about? She's not exactly a scrapper from what I've seen." Soul frowned and gazed out across the deck.

The ship was pulled into port, the anchor down and the line tied. The docks were bustling with mid-afternoon activity and the crew was eager to be dismissed to their leisure time in town. A particular blonde caught his eye, her hair tied up in twin tails; such an innocent look for someone so troublesome. She walked across the deck shielding her eyes from the sun as she observed the port.

Soul sighed and tugged a hand through his hair. "The Doctor isn't the one that worries me," he mumbled.

* * *

><p>Maka was livid, as he expected. Her emerald eyes burned and her face twisted with fury as she tried to lunge at him. Kid and Black Star, who were coming ashore with him, held her back. She kicked out trying to get free to throttle him.<p>

"You _bastard!_" She shouted. "You said we were all free to go!" She elbowed Kid in the ribs sharply and he released his hold on her to crumple, clutching himself and gasping. Maka would have been on Soul in that moment had Black Star not gripped her tighter, swinging her around and keeping his Captain out of her reach again. She recovered quickly and tried to throw herself at him once more. The blue-haired carpenter had to pin her arms to her sides in a bear hug to keep her from escaping his hold.

"And you are," Soul said calmly, trying to keep his cool but unable to prevent his eye from twitching in aggravation. Would the trouble from this woman never end?

"Liar!" she spat. "Tsubaki is not free to go! You're keeping her locked up in the infirmary! You haven't even given her a choice!" Soul sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to decide what to do with her.

"Listen, we haven't had a Doctor in a long time. We can't just give her up. She's too good." He gestured to Kid who stood up and gripped Maka's other arm again. He stepped closer to look her square in the eye, if looks could kill he would surely be dead already. "I'd say I'm sorry but I'm really not," he shrugged. "The bright side is, now that we are here and it is clear you don't want to stay on with us as crew… I don't have to deal with you anymore." He nodded to Kid and Black Star who both seemed to understand what he meant.

The two pirate's proceeded to try to drag Maka from the ship. She stomped down on Kid's foot and elbowed him again in the same spot as before, it already being sensitive, Kid dropped. Black Star made a grab for her and Maka kicked backward. The heel of her foot nailed him in the groin, the carpenter fell like a stone; howling with rage and pain. Soul didn't even realize what was happening until both his crew members were incapacitated, the damn woman was _fast._

A knife he was completely unaware she'd managed to acquire, slipped out of her sleeve. She whirled, bringing her arm around to strike Soul across the face.

The glint of the knife flashed in the sunlight and Soul's hand snapped out, catching her wrist and stopping her from cutting him. Soul twisted her arm around and she cried out in pain, sinking onto one knee, the knife clattering to the deck. He had been determined for her not to best him this time and she nearly had.

"Please stop!" A voice echoed out. Soul's head whipped around to see who had spoken. Maka squinted in discomfort as she tried to see also.

Tsubaki stood with a frown a few steps away, "Don't hurt her please," she pleaded. Soul groaned and frowned at the Doctor but chose to keep Maka in the position he had her. "If you let her go and don't hurt her I promise I'll stay and I'll cooperate too. If you hurt her or don't let her go I promise you I will never treat another one of your crew again."

Soul looked annoyed but released Maka who fell forward clutching her shoulder and giving a small gasp. It didn't take long for her to recover though, she sat up, still clutching where he'd twisted her arm. She looked to friend with an expression of horror.

"Tsubaki you don't have to stay here. Don't do this. I'll find us a way home…I'll find us a ship." The dark-haired Doctor smiled sadly and shook her head. She approached her friend and dropped into a crouch in front of her. Tsubaki clutched Maka's hand tightly.

"No. They won't let me go and-they need me," she told her with a shaky voice. The Doctor's eyes slid past to rest on the blue haired carpenter who was still groaning about his groin. Maka seemed to know in that moment what was happening. Tsubaki wasn't leaving because she had developed some sort of feelings for the idiot pirate. Soul had seen it and suspected though he hadn't said anything, he wasn't even sure if the two of them were truly aware of it but it was clear some sort of relationship was developing whatever it may be.

Maka nodded looking regretful and a little angry, Tsubaki looked apologetic and sad. He almost felt bad at the rift he was creating between them in this moment. The blonde stood and hugged her friend tightly, they murmured something to each other during their embrace that Soul couldn't catch.

He decided to give the two of them time for a private moment and so he turned back to the rest of the crew who were already antsy, wanting to get off the ship already. He waved his hands to quiet them down. "We cast off in one week!" He shouted to them. "You've all been handed your shares. Try not to spend it all on one whore!" Laughter rumbled amongst the crew. "If you aren't back on this deck by the end of the week we cast off without you! You'll be called on when its your turn for ship watch!" They all murmured amongst themselves, still standing where they were. Soul heaved a sigh. "Well go on, get outta here!"

The crew cheered and most of them exited quickly, leaving only the ones to remain on ship watch behind. He turned back to Tsubaki who was standing at the railing with a tormented expression, Maka was gone, having left with the rest of the crew.

* * *

><p>Captain Maka Albarn shouldered her way through the crowds, feeling a little lost and more than a little angry. She grit her teeth as a drunk stumbled by shouting before falling into the gutter. This whole port town was madness. It was still the middle of the day and there were drunks and fights everywhere. She frowned at the nearby brothel, one of many in this town. The women hung out the windows giggling and waving lacy scraps of fabric at the men below.<p>

Attached to the brothel appeared to be an inn. _'Shadow Cat's Paw'_ was the name scrawled on the weather beaten sign hanging above its door. With a sigh Maka entered, she needed a place to stay after all. There was no telling how long she would be in this place.

The inn was dimly lit with a smoky sort of lighting; a distinctly dingy sort of feel to it. It wasn't particularly full but Maka wasn't really surprised. With it being attached to a brothel most of the patrons were likely on the other side; Maka could hear laughter and raucous music playing on the other side of a beaded curtain hanging from the doorway into the brothel. A grizzled looking man with a severe under bite stood behind a worn looking pedestal. He gave her a lop-sided scowl as she approached.

Upon ordering a room a large woman with gaudy makeup plastered on her face and pink-tinged cotton candy hair led her up the stairs to it. Tsubaki had smuggled her a little bit of money before she had left. Enough to get by on for a few weeks at least if she was sparing. The woman opened the door to her room and guided her inside.

It was small, with a small one person bed and a small single window with a dingy looking curtain on it. There was no side table, no dresser, no mirror. It was practically empty. The woman mumbled something about if she wants breakfast she has to be in the common room by nine and then left.

Maka sat down on the bed with a sigh. It wasn't the nicest room but a bed after such a long sleeping on a hard deck was a treat regardless. She laid back, the open window upside down in her current line of vision, the wind toyed with the curtains as a breeze blew through. She closed her eyes, tempted to have a nap before going about finding a place to send a message back home.

An unfamiliar sound met her ears and she opened her eyes only to alarmingly find a furry purple cat face hovering above her. She sat up clutching her chest with a gasp of surprise.

"Blair! What are you doing here?" The cat sighed.

"I told you I have a mission. What are you doing _here?_" Maka pushed the cat away and closed her eyes again tiredly while laying back down. She threw an arm over her face, hiding her eyes.

"Well, I was considering napping though with your interruption it seems unlikely."

The cat kneaded the blanket with her paws as she spoke. "Pretty sure you've been doing more than napping." Maka opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. She was shocked to find it was dark outside. "You slept away the day, its early in the morning now. The sun will be up again in the next half an hour." Blair sat up and proceeded to clean her paws as she continued. "Get up. I have something to show you."

"What?" She was becoming annoyed with Blair's mysterious ways.

"I can't tell you. I have to show you." With a groan Maka sat up fully, she couldn't believe she'd slept that long, it felt like she'd closed her eyes only for a few moments. Though she had to admit the groggy feeling of just waking up was definitely there. Maka stood, following the cat out of the inn.

* * *

><p>She followed the purple cat through the streets, it was still more active than she'd expect for the time of day though the streets were much more empty than they'd been previously. Sometimes it was hard to keep sight of her companion as she darted ahead and occasionally in and out of the drunks legs. Maka followed as quietly as she could, trying to not draw attention to herself. Every now and again Blair would stop on a corner to wait for her to catch up.<p>

Blair led her to an empty alleyway. Their destination was a warehouse on the docks a little ways away. The sky was overcast and gray, the sounds of the sea lapping against the docks echoed into the early morning and gulls shrill cries came from overhead. Maka opened her mouth to speak as they paused at the corner of the building, Blair shushed her as they halted. "What is it?" Maka whispered. The cat gestured around the corner.

"See for yourself."

On the docks was a group of people moving cargo onto a ship. They were hefting crates and barrels onto it at a steady pace. Their backs were currently to her and she strained to make out who it was. With a huff of annoyance she decided to get closer and so much to Blair's disdain she hurried out to hide behind a collection of crates a little ways away from where they were moving cargo.

A blonde with his back to her immediately caught her eyes, dressed in robes unlike the rest gathered around and working. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably a little at the familiarity she felt at the sight of this man. He turned to speak to one of his companions and Maka had to stifle a gasp. She knew him. It was Justin Law, first class Commodore Justin Law. She couldn't imagine what he was doing there in a pirate port. He appeared to be in charge of what was going on, a piece parchment in hand he was overseeing the loading of the cargo.

Another man stood beside him looking moody, this one Maka didn't recognize. His hair was a dirty blonde and spiked out in the front, eyes a dull brown. His face glinted with metal, some sort of piercing on his nose and a multitude in his ears. He grinned suddenly, revealing jagged teeth. Justin's expression remained impassive.

"What Giriko?" the Commodore asked stiffly."Nothin' just thinkin' what a plan this is. Shoulda made this deal ages ago. You fella's get a cut and we get to run _wild_."

Maka's heart stopped. A deal? Between pirates and high ranking naval officers? That couldn't be right. She ducked down again to look at Blair who gave her a knowing expression. "What is going on?" Maka whispered. Blair shook her head, indicating now wasn't the time to discuss what was happening. She gestured it was time to go and darted out around the corner again.

Crouched down behind the crates Maka prepared to dart around the corner after her. Before she could move the back of her neck prickled and a dark figure breezed by, his shadow passing over her. He spoke to the two men nearby as he approached not noticing her hidden behind the crates. "How is our progress?" That voice. She knew that voice. Could never forget that voice. '_Kami Albarn.' _Maka felt dizzy. _'Take her.'_

Such simple words, hardly even full sentences but the words tumbled around in her mind endlessly. It was him. The one who had taken her mother. The one who had broken into her house and effectively stolen her childhood, changed everything. Her fist clenched involuntarily at her side and she caught sight of Blair still in the form of a cat behind the corner watching her. She should go with Blair. Get out of there before somebody saw her. But she couldn't do it. Not without a good look at him. She needed to memorize him.

Memorize him so when she came back she would remember what he looked like and be able to find him again, then find what he'd done with her mother and then kill the pirate bastard.

She peered over the crates again, the newcomer stood nearby speaking too lowly to the two men for Maka to hear anymore. It didn't matter she'd heard all she needed for now.

Pale and thin; she wondered how she'd ever found him frightening as a child though without fail he had visited her nightmares time and time again when she was small. His hair was dark and fell lank around his face, strange white streaks on the thick strands reminding her of vertical eyes. Clearly the man was in charge of the two of them; as he gave them some sort of instructions he pushed his hair back from his forehead revealing a vertical red eye tattooed in its center.

A paw batted at her, drawing her attention. She glanced down.

Blair sat beside her looking concerned. With a shake of her head Maka followed Blair away from the docks and back to the inn.

* * *

><p>Maka paced the room in a daze. She just didn't know what to make of what she'd seen. Justin was a naval officer, why would he be consorting with pirates? And him…the one who'd taken her mother. That she had stumbled upon him this way was overwhelming. She wanted to forget everything and go after him but it would be foolish she knew this. No weapons, no back up. She couldn't even think of going after him.<p>

"You recognized some of them?" Blair asked. Maka nodded absently and her stomach growled with hunger, she hadn't eaten in ages but she ignored it.

"One of them…one of them was a naval officer…a Commodore…" Blair nodded.

"I had to show you because you wouldn't believe me otherwise. There is a collection of officers who've struck a deal with members of the pirate council." Maka's brow furrowed.

"Yes I heard that but what is the deal?"

"Basically security on the seas becomes lax and the pirates get to do as they please so long as they continue to provide the navy with a cut."

"Th-that's…unthinkable!" she spluttered in response. Blair shrugged her small cat shoulders.

"Its what they're doing."

The blonde sat on the bed and put her face in her hands for a moment. "How far does this corruption go? Does it reach to the top? Does the Admiral know? Is he _involved?_" Blair shook her head.

"He's probably one of the only few who doesn't know what's going on."

"Then I have to get a message to him." Maka stood, preparing to head out and find a way to get a message to the admiral but she froze. "But I can't. Somebody could intercept it…keep it from getting to him."

"Also then they'd know your alive."

"That's right…they think I'm dead." She frowned. "I need to get to the Admiral and bring the message to him myself. In person." Blair nodded.

"That does seem best." Maka whirled to look down at the cat.

"What about the third man on the docks? The dark-haired one." Blair stood up and leapt up on the window sill.

"His name is Asura. He's the Captain of the pirate ship '_Vajra'_. Basically he's a big shot. Why, do you know him?" Maka nodded.

"I do." She murmured, not elaborating but the cat didn't appear concerned. "Now what?"

"I've done what I was supposed to. Its up to you what to do now," Blair told her.

A thought crossed her mind. "Blair can you follow him and let me know when Asura leaves the port?" She couldn't lose him. Not now that she'd finally found him. Blair nodded. "I can do that!"

"Good…and I'll…try to find a way out of this place." The cat leapt out the window to set about her task and Maka headed down into the inn.

* * *

><p>A large pair of bare breasts jiggled madly in his face. Soul sighed heavily, he was not aroused in the slightest despite this woman's best efforts. Other members of the crew appeared to be enjoying themselves but try as he might he just couldn't get into it. He handed her a few silver's and dismissed her, not wanting to waste the woman's time any longer. He just wasn't attracted to her.<p>

They'd been at port for three days now. He'd returned to the ship three times to check on whoever had ship watch that night but everything seemed to be alright. The boys were celebrating their leisure time loudly in their brothel of choice. Madam Rosaline was always happy to have the crew of the '_Demon Scythe' _in her business, the men paid well and due to their Captain's firm hold on their behaviour they rarely got out of control.

Black Star slid into a seat beside him, he slapped his Captain and friend on the back. "Come on Soul! Enjoy yourself! Any of these ladies would be thrilled to have your company for the night." The blue-haired pirate winked and nudged him with his elbow. Soul sighed heavily.

"I'm just not in the mood Black Star." He shrugged.

"Suit yourself!" A curly haired brunette with dark skin and eyes slid into Black Star's lap. He nuzzled into her neck as she lewdly straddled him, dressed in skimpy layers of black lace and red velvet.

The door to the brothel opened, Soul didn't bother to look up at who was entering; assuming it was some other lustful drunk looking to get his rocks off. He took a swig of his beer and leaned his cheek in his palm lazily. He yawned and stared through the glass of his nearly empty mug. A pair if long legs came into his line of sight through the glass.

"Figures you'd be here," her tone was unimpressed and rude. It sickened him how he felt himself perk up at her presence. Her being here couldn't mean anything good. His eyes climbed up her body lazily; it was the first time he'd seen her since she had been furious with him on the ship. She appeared to have calmed down now judging by her expression. No longer full of anger, just the usual disdain as she looked down her nose at him.

"What do you want wench?" She rested a hand on her hip and cocked it to the side.

"I need to talk to you." Soul couldn't resist aggravating her, the way her eyes burned with rage excited him a little as much as he wanted to deny it. He yawned widely and pretended to make eyes at one of the whore's over her shoulder.

"About what?" he asked with a bored tone. A sound of impatience escaped her and the corner of his mouth twitched as he held back a grin.

"Something important. Can we go somewhere private?" He finished the last of his beer, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and sighed laboriously as though she were asking him for the moon.

Nobody appeared to be paying attention to their conversation, anyone who knew them was too occupied with one of the ladies of the evening to be listening. Soul nodded finally and stood. "Madam Rosalie." A handsome older woman with curled white hair piled up on her head turned to look at him. Though she was older her blue eyes sparkled with youth and as though she were constantly amused by some private joke.

"Yes honey?"

"My-" he smiled wryly, "_friend _and I need a private place to talk." The smile that broke out on the brothel owners face was one of delight. She approached them brusquely and immediately began poking and prodding Maka.

"She's certainly pretty," she went to lift Maka's arm but the blonde was not pleased with the attention and snatched her arm back with a glower. "Feisty. I'm not surprised I suppose. Though I must say I'm disappointed she's not one of my girls. Where did you find her?"

With an outraged expression Maka's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She was completely at a loss for words. The laugh that escaped Soul was uproarious but he couldn't resist. Her face was just priceless. Before Maka could lose her temper he corrected Rosalie. "No, no. She's not one of anybody's girls and its not like that anyways. We just need to have a little chat." The older woman rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say," her tone indicated disbelief. "You can use one of the rooms upstairs." She gestured to a staircase nearby before moving away from them with a swish of her skirts.

The Navy Captain climbed the stairs at a quick pace. He couldn't help but feel a little annoyed wondering what was so urgent she needed to rush like this.

The brothel was three stories. The top floor was where the girls and Madam Rosalie roomed, patron's were not allowed up there even with one of the girls permission. The second floor was for bedding, when just residing in the ladies company was no longer enough, or when a private 'party' was ordered. Each room was lavishly decorated in velvets, silks and satins. Every strip of fabric was tasselled or jewelled or covered in lace. Each room had a spacious bed and depending on the size a sofa or a chair as well. Then finally the first floor was the common area where men could inspect the merchandise, the girls could entice their patrons and where customers could eat, drink and relax.

Maka moved swiftly down the hall in search of empty room and Soul trailed behind her reluctantly, not looking forward to their conversation. Whatever she wanted to talk to him couldn't be good news, he was certain of that.

The blonde froze just before an open door. Every part of her was tensed and Soul's brow wrinkled in confusion. Her previous haste and aura of urgency had drained from her so abruptly he didn't understand what had caused the sudden change. She moved into the open doorway her expression gaping. Her voice was incredulous as she spoke into the currently occupied room.

"_Sam?"_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Tee Hee. Yes this is me amused at where I ended this chapter. I don't mean to be evil but its so fun to leave it like that XD**

**No nautical terms this chapter since they weren't on the sea!**

**And I am forewarning Asura may be OOC when we get into some proper scenes with him but I will do my best to portray him as accurately as possible! **

**Anyhoo! That's all for now! Will update soon as I can!**

**Review me hearties! Arrghh :3**

**-Song **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone!**

**So sorry for the wait…it honestly wasn't my intention to leave it hanging like that and then not update for ages D: I just ended up a lot more busy than I thought I'd be. But finally, the update is here! **

**So many reviews! I'm super proud and as always incredibly appreciate everyone for following and letting me know what they think! :3 Anyways, I won't make you read anymore of my ramblings, please enjoy the next chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

* * *

><p><em><span>Seven<span>_

He was sitting on a plush looking sofa with two women draped off of him. A brunette and a redhead, both in different states of half dress and disarray. She called him Sam and Soul remembered a prior conversation between her and Tsubaki he'd overheard. He had come to the conclusion this Sam character was her lover. His mood instantly darkened at the thought.

Sam's eyes widened at the sight of her. He didn't look excited to see her or thrilled to find her alive as Soul would have expected from a lover. He looked shocked and in Soul's opinion a little sick. Instant dislike washed over him. Disheveled curly brown hair and strong, rugged features, a girls dream Soul thought bitterly, especially with his expressive blue-green eyes.

"M-Maka!" Sam stuttered. He sat up quickly and the two girls fell out of his lap and onto the floor with a thump. Twin squeaks of alarm accompanied their fall. Sam looked afraid and Soul thought he was certainly right to be. The vein in Maka's temple twitched dangerously.

"Sam," she deadpanned saying his name a second time. Quite suddenly her face had become void of emotion. The stillness about her was possibly more terrifying than if she were raging. Sam took a step towards her hesitantly his face now arranged into an expression of joy and relief despite his initial flash of displeasure when he'd first sighted her.

"You're alive…Maka I didn't think that-" he reached for her and she shoved him back sharply.

"You thought I was dead so you came here?" There was a quiver in her voice despite her stern expression. The quiver of weakness surprised Soul. "You certainly look like you're in mourning."

The two girls were huddled together on the floor nearby, watching the exchange with wide makeup smeared eyes. Sam frowned and his eyes slid to Soul for a moment, they widened a little and then turned back to Maka with an odd sort of triumph. "Clearly we mourn the same way." She glanced at Soul and upon realizing what Sam was insinuating her calm exploded into fury.

"_Him!" _She shouted. "Never! He just happened to be-" she stopped and practically snarled. "You know what, its none of your business what he is to me. I owe you no explanation." She moved like lightning, gripping fistfuls of Sam's half unbuttoned shirt and throwing him up against the open door. It hit the wall with a bang and her first mate winced. She quelled her fury, the deadly calm returning. "I thought you were dead Sam. _Dead. _You went overboard. How in the hell are you alive? And here no less." Maka was quick a whip, Soul thought appreciatively. He was glad she seemed to have noticed Sam's bizarre behaviour too. That could have been an awkward conversation.

* * *

><p><em>Smoke billowed out into the otherwise clean blue sky. Maka lowered her eyeglass with a grimace. Something about the whole situation was off. The ship flew merchant colours and appeared to be in distress but there was so much smoke she couldn't get a good view of the deck to see who was on board. There didn't appear to be any fire either despite all the smoke, she chewed her lip as she thought. <em>

"_What are we waiting for? They need help." Sam's voice came up beside her as he slid in next to her. The smell of him made her head woozy; his hand slipped into the small of her back and goose bumps rose up on her skin. "Come on Maka, they need us, we can do something." She tilted her head to look up at him. _

"_But it doesn't feel right. Something about that ship is just off." She frowned and he gave her a look like she'd lost her mind. _

"_There is nothing wrong with this situation," he insisted. _

"_We should wait a little further off before approaching," she said softly. He shook his head. _

"_They need help, since when were you willing to leave someone in distress when there's something you can do about it?" _

_Guilt stabbed her like a knife, "Alright, pull us in closer." She ordered._

_They pulled the ship in close and she approached the edge of the deck. The smoke was so thick she couldn't see anything. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello!" She called, "We're here to assist!" There was no response. She coughed a little, the smoke was making her eyes water and her vision blurry. Her gut twisted, something was wrong. Sam had vanished once theor ship had pulled up alongside the other but she didn't have time to be bothered by his absence now._

_Smoke separated for a moment revealing the side of the ship. Her eyes slid over the name painted on its hull. From a distance through the smoke it has appeared to say 'The Anna Maria'. This was not the ships name at all though…the false name had been painted boldly overtop of the ships true name._

'_Demon Scythe' was scrawled beneath the painted on name. She paled. Pirates. They'd pretended to be in distress to draw them in. With a sharp curse she turned to shout warning to her crew. "A trap!" She bellowed. "We've been tricked! All hands-"_

_The sound of something whistling through the air reached her. As she turned to find the source of the sound the end of a grappling hook came flying from out of the black clouds and struck her in the temple. The world went black as she tumbled over the ships side. _

_She was only without consciousness for a few moments as she fell. Striking the water below startled her awake again. She spluttered and tread water as the waves sloshed madly around her, she had fallen between the two ships; the sounds of a battle echoed down to her and she hurried for her ships side to climb back up again. _

_Soaking wet Maka pulled herself up over the side. Alarm bells immediately went off in her mind._

_Fire. The ship was burning. Maka could smell the smoke, feel the heat from the blaze rippling over the ship. She wiped the sweat that had already sprung up from her brow and shouted commands to the crew around her. They needed to put out the fire or they would be done for. _

_The afternoon sun was merciless, its combination with the fire was dreadful. The fact that she was soaked through helped somewhat with the heat though not enough. The sound of more hooks striking the deck and clinging to the railing reached her ears and she rushed forward, cutlass in hand. She struck the ropes as she ran along the rail, severing each one with a single blow. A scream came and went as a pirate tumbled down into the water. _

_She wasn't fast enough to stop all of them though, they boarded despite her best efforts and she soon found herself engaged in battle. The sound of steel on steel ringing out around the deck. She parried a blow from a pirate with a nasty scar across his face. Thoughts of Sam crossed her mind, they always fought side by side when it came to it but still he had not appeared. Her muddled thoughts slowed her down and the pirates blade sliced a shallow cut across her arm. She hissed in pain and pushed him back. _

_The crew was being overtaken, the ship was burning. She had to do something, turn the tables. She slipped under the pirates next blow and shocked him by coming up close and striking him in the jaw. His eyes rolled back and he dropped. She didn't take the time to make sure he was fully incapacitated, there was no time. _

_The two ships had drifted closer to one another, the sides almost touching. Maka ran for the edge, leaping up and across as the ships sides bumped against one another causing the decks to shake. She tumbled onto the pirate's deck and rose again neatly. Some of her crew were being rounded up, already defeated. Desperation clawed at her, she could not let this happen. Sam didn't appear to be among the defeated, she wondered again where he could be. _

_Her head pounded from the blow earlier and she was still wet from her fall in the water. The pirate crew pressed around her, six on one. Nobody of her crew appeared to be free any longer, they were rounded up nearby; bound and gathered in a group. Sam was not among them. She fought still with all her might, she would not give in. Her sword was torn from her grip as two more pirates joined the group and the eight of them overwhelmed her, forcing her to her knees to subdue her. _

_Two blonde girls gripped her arms and dragged her across the deck._

* * *

><p>The silence in the room was thick. Nobody spoke or moved for a moment. Maka held Sam in place, their eyes were locked. Soul wasn't sure what passed between them in that moment but Maka's face softened and her grip on him lessened. She closed her eyes, her expression pained.<p>

"Sam _why?_" She breathed, sounding weary and broken; a realization dawning on her. "You pushed me to approach the ship. You already knew what they were didn't you?" Sam said nothing. "You weren't anywhere when the fighting started. You disappeared. But it wasn't an accident. It was on purpose. Someone was waiting for you weren't they? You faked going over the side."

Maka's grip tightened on him again, white knuckled, her fingertips digging into his skin. Her jaw clenched as she continued to speak. "Before we left port. You told me there was a change of plans. That we were to go out further than normal. It was all a lie wasn't it?" His nod was so slight if they hadn't been paying attention they wouldn't have caught it. "_Why?_ I don't understand why I had to die-I thought…I thought…"

"They knew you wouldn't go for it." Sam's voice was soft. "You were always so noble. And you hated them so much we knew you'd never want to made a deal with them." Maka's expression was filled with incredulity and Soul was alarmed at how her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"You know why I hate them! But its not just because of that!" She cried out. "We are what stands between them and madness. So many innocent people would be hurt if we didn't do our job." She made a noise of frustration. "I-was so…you were gone and I felt-I thought-" her pained tone changed, suddenly turning harsh. "You bastard. You fucking bastard." She slammed him against the door again for good measure.

"What was I supposed to do Maka? They approached _me. _They would have killed me if I didn't do what they wanted."

"But you were okay with me dying instead."

She leaned against him suddenly, her face buried in his neck. Soul suddenly felt the moment was too intimate for him to be watching and yet here he was observing this painful confrontation. A broken sob came from where her face was buried in the crook of Sam's neck. "I would have died for you," she whispered roughly. Sam didn't move, his expression was conflicted and he lifted a hand to touch her gently but hesitated and lowered it again.

"I-They said you were a liability. But…" he fell silent for a brief moment. "You should go-when they know you're alive they'll try to find you, if you hurry you can get away."

_Click. _The metallic sound of the hammer of a pistol echoed into the tense quiet. "_Got your gun."_ Maka breathed against his neck.

She jerked back, Sam's pistol in hand. He tried to make a grab for her but missed and he pulled back hastily when he found the barrel of the gun was pointed at him. He held his hands up defensively. Her own hand trembled uncharacteristically and a single tear rolled down her cheek, catching the light; her face full of fury. "They won't know I'm alive if you don't tell them. And the only way to ensure you don't tell them is if you're dead."

Sam looked panicked for a moment but the worry wiped from his face and was replaced by a satisfied sort of smile. "You won't kill me. You can't." Her brow wrinkled a little.

"You wanna bet?" She whispered with deadly calm.

"You love me still. You can't."

Her finger slipped over the trigger, squeezing slightly. One of the whores took that moment to lose their calm and flee. The redhead shrieked loudly, gripping her partners arm tightly and running for the door, knocking into Maka as they went. The motion caused Maka to involuntarily tighten her grip, the gun went off but missed by a long shot as its holder fell backward into Soul. The bullet shattered a vase full of flowers, bits of glass and flower petals scattered outward.

Soul caught her lightly before they both fell to the ground. He steadied her just as they realized Sam had taken the opportunity to flee. His footsteps pounded down the hall as he made his escape. Maka tried to pull away and run but Soul caught her arm and held her back.

She tried to wrench away from him. "Let me go!" she snarled. He didn't release his hold though, only turned her forcefully to look at him. Green and red eyes met.

"What are you gonna do? You have an empty pistol with no other shot. You could end up following him right into an ambush. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Don't be an idiot Maka." She glared at him for a moment, her body still tense. It took a moment but she eventually relaxed, she shrugged out of his grip and dropped the pistol. It hit the carpeted floor with a thud.

There were hurried footsteps on the stairs and Madam Rosalie appeared in the hallway along with Black Star and Kid.

Black Star looked murderous, his cutlass drawn in one hand and a half empty bottle of rum in the other. His eyes were rimmed red and he was obviously drunk. "Whatss goin'on?" he slurred. Kid, who looked a great deal more in control than his companion, eased him into lowering his weapons as clearly they were no longer needed. Madam Rosalie had her hands on her hips, a disgruntled expression on her face.

"Indeed, what is going on? A gunshot goes off and a couple of my girls just come running to me scared outta their wits, and one of my clients high tails it outta here without paying. Care to explain Captain?"

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><p>After as brief an explanation as possible and Soul's promise to pay Rosalie for the damage to the vase and pay for the runaway client's bill he and Maka were left alone again. He'd told his men to pack up and head back to the ship, he'd meet up with them later and explain what happened with him and Maka.<p>

She sat across from him with a frown. They had been brought drinks but they currently remained untouched on the table between them. She folded her arms across her chest.

"Well. You wanted to talk to me?" She nodded and sighed a little before speaking. She proceeded to tell him of a deal the pirate council had made with some of the navy. He had to admit he was a little surprised that such a thing had happened. He was supposed to be a member of the pirate council but rarely attended any of their meetings and when he did he rarely paid any attention. The meetings were boring and idiotic, they often just resulted in fights. He didn't want to deal with them, he supposed that was why he didn't know what was going on already.

"And so," she continued. "I need your ship." His brow quirked and he prepared to laugh at her joke but realized she wasn't joking.

"You have to be kidding," he deadpanned. She shook her head.

"No I'm not. I need to get back and warn the Admiral what's going on." He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"This doesn't concern me at all. Why should I help you? Not to mention it seems like its more to my benefit to let this 'deal' occur." She grit her teeth.

"Please…" she ground out. It sounded like the most painful word in the world for her. He folded his arms across his chest and frowned. He didn't like how a part of him wanted to say yes. He would completely lose the respect of his crew if he did. This deal was of benefit to pirates. To help her foil it would be ridiculous.

With great difficulty, he shook his head. "No. It is of no benefit to me help you." He sighed heavily. "In fact I'm surprised you even had the gall to ask me this." She chewed her lip with a grimace.

"Believe me I didn't want to. This port is a nightmare. Nobody will give me the time of day. I have nobody else to ask-"

The door to the room was pushed open a little, interrupting her in mid-sentence. A furry purple body darted in through the crack. "Maka! They're coming! You have to get out of here!" Blair panted out. Soul's eyes bugged out at the sight of the cat talking. The cat that was normally on his ship. Maka had not mentioned this with her story. "I was observing them like you told me and somebody told them you were alive. They'll be here any minute!"

Maka stood with wide eyes. The damn woman wasn't even armed. Soul wanted to groan out loud, what mess had she drawn him into?

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><p>In the brief silence that filled the room the sounds of a commotion downstairs floated up through the floorboards beneath them. Maka grit her teeth. Sam had run straight to them. It was the only explanation, how else would the know she was alive and where to find her exactly. She supposed it was her own fault for staying in one place after he got away. She had foolishly hoped he wouldn't tell anyone he'd seen her.<p>

She knew she should be crying and weeping over him. Any regular girl would be upon finding out her lover had been involved in a plot to kill her. She couldn't do it though. All she felt was anger, anger like fire lit and burning in the pit of her belly.

Blair weaved her way through Maka's legs and as she was about to glance down at her the door swung open wide. In the frame stood Giriko, the man from the docks, several generic looking pirates and behind them, still in the shadows; Asura. Soul had gone still beside her, staring out through the doorway at him.

Giriko hefted his weapon of choice, a surgical object called an ostetome. Maka only knew its name from observing a particularly gruesome surgery her friend had had to perform. A blade with sharp teeth wound around it, running off a sort of clockwork device that made it whirl around it. It was a deadly looking thing and it had to ability to cut through bone line butter if well taken care of. Giriko's also happened to be quite over sized, as long as his arm.

"Well well, aren't you a sweet little thing?" he growled with a pointy-toothed grin. Apparently he had decided to ignore Soul's presence. Not that it mattered, Soul was a pirate too why would he be a threat in this situation? Girkio barked out a laugh. "This is the big threat we're here to take out?" The generic pirates with him guffawed stupidly. "The little butterfly isn't even armed. She wouldn't hurt a fly." He approached her with a sharp smile, the metal on his nose glinted as he reached out and pinched her cheeks together, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were hard as she stared up at him.

Soul smirked. "I wouldn't do that if I were you Giriko." The spiky haired blonde glanced at his fellow pirate who was looking on with a polite sort of interest as though he were expecting something to happen. He chuckled harshly. "What do you know Soul Eater?" he sneered. As he turned back to the Maka she spat in his face and as he shouted in disgust, pulling back she clocked him in the jaw with a sharp upward kick. Her shoe skidded across his nose. Giriko twisted and almost dropped but somehow managed to stay standing, blood trickled down his face where the metal on his nose had bit into his skin. He kicked his ostetome into life and it whirred loudly. "You little bitch! Come here now and let me show you how to treat your betters!"

He moved towards her and Maka back pedalled, no weapon to defend herself. The was a soft _snick _beneath the whirring of Giriko's blade, he lifted it to slash it down at her but before she knew it cutting into her flesh a shadow passed her by as a body threw itself in front of her.

There was a clatter as his blade locked in the teeth of Giriko's weapon stopping it from moving. It clicked loudly as it tried to move and Soul grit his teeth, standing in front of her. Maka's eyes widened. This was the second time he had saved her. She didn't understand it, had expected him to stand by, he'd just refused to help her after all.

"What're you doing Eater?" Giriko snarled. "Get the fuck outta the way, this bitch is gonna die." Soul gave a mighty shove and pushed Giriko back.

"Not today," Soul grunted. The blonde pirate prepared to make another attack but a voice sliced through the room and drew their attention.

"Enough Giriko." Giriko followed the command and stood back, his weapon lowered at his side, no longer in motion. Asura moved into the light of the room with an uninterested expression. He paused in front of them with a slight smile. A sly expression. "You look remarkably like your mother Maka," he told her. Maka's jaw clenched in response to his remark. Asura's attention turned away from her to Soul curiously.

"Hello Soul." Maka's eyed Soul from the corner of her eye. He looked furious, his expression more angry than she'd ever seen.

"Asura." He spat. Asura appeared unfazed by the venom in Soul's tone.

"I don't understand. Why did you stop Giriko? What is she to you?"

Maka had to admit she didn't understand it much either and she continued to watch him, his face remained plainly angry though; no flicker of other emotion she could catch anyway. She could see his teeth clench, the muscle in his jaw tightening. "It has nothing to do with her," Soul growled. "It has to do with me not wanting you to get anything you want. Ever." Clearly they knew each other and did not like one another, well, Soul didn't like him. She couldn't really tell what Asura was thinking. It didn't matter though, she could use this to her advantage.

A creaking sound drew her attention and she glanced behind her, nobody was really paying attention to her at the moment. They are all too busy watching their leader and Soul's little confrontation. She was alarmed to find Madam Rosalie peering from behind a door in the wall that had not been there before. A secret way. She supposed she wasn't completely shocked, in a brothel it would be handy to have secret ways to escape less than desirable situations of which Maka was sure there were plenty.

The older woman gestured to Maka and she thought she understood though she wasn't entirely sure how she and Soul could get to the secret door without being seen and followed.

Rosalie tossed something into the room and it rolled onto the floor in front of them. A small black pellet. It hissed loudly for a moment and then exploded into a cloud of smoke. She shielded her eyes and turned to go to the secret door, only realize Soul wasn't following.

She groped in the darkness and her hand latched onto his wrist, he struggled against her for a moment but when he realized it was her he began to follow. Her hand slid down his wrist to his hand. Gripping his tightly she pulled him towards the passageway as the pirates shouted and coughed behind them.

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><p>Rosalie shut the passageway behind them tightly and quickly started down a thin stairway. "Where is this taking us?" Maka asked into the quiet, the sounds of the room left behind.<p>

"I'm getting you out of my brothel," she said sharply. She glanced back at Soul as she tucked a hair behind her ear. "I must say she certainly comes with enough trouble this one," she muttered. "Though I suppose I'm not surprised, you do too after all."

The walk was a lot more quiet after that. The passageway led them down into a drafty stone corridor that sloped down for awhile. No sounds followed them so Maka assumed the pirates hadn't found the passage. Soul was brooding silently to himself, Maka couldn't resist asking him what was on her mind though.

"So…you know Asura I take it?" Soul nodded stiffly, a grimace on his face. He lifted his shirt suddenly, a long, fatal looking, pink scar stretched the length of his torso diagonally. Maka winced at the sight of it.

"He gave me this," he said with a hard tone. He lowered his shirt as they continued down the passage after Madam Rosalie. "You should have said Asura was involved from the start," he gave her a sideways glance. "You'll have my ship and whatever other help I can offer you." Maka's chest swelled with hope at his words, allowing herself to forget Sam's betrayal for a moment.

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><p><strong>AN: Hurrah! Another chapter done! I'm pretty stoked on how this is unravelling and I hope you are all enjoying it too! Just one major note.**

**The Osteotome is essentially the first chain saw, it was invented in 1830 as a surgical tool for amputations. As pirates were around in the 18th**** century I thought it fitting that Giriko carry it instead of a modern one as he usually does. I've taken a bit of license with the Osteotome to suit my needs, I believe it worked on a crank system though I haven't included this as a part of Giriko's weapon as its kind of inconvenient to have to crank up your weapon in a fight haha. Anyway, its not exactly like a chainsaw but its certainly as close as it gets in the 1800's.**

**Other than that nothing else to mention really! Again I apologize for taking so long to update this chapter, it wasn't my intention but I've been pretty busy! I am going to try to update again soon though my plan is to finish up the next chapter of 'Infection' and get that up before I post the next update for this! **

**Reviews are the best kinda loot me'scurvy landlubbers! XD**

**-Song :3  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello!**

**So here we have the next chapter in our thrilling pirate tale :) I am super excited to share it with you and even more excited for what's to come. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who is reading, reviewing and following. It means the world to me and always makes my day when I see new reviews or followers! As I've told you lovelies before, though I don't always reply I always read them and absolutely adore them. **

**But anyways, I'm sure you'd rather be reading the chapter than me gushing about how much I love you all :3 And so…enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Eight:<span>_

The passageway came out near the sea. Maka inhaled the scent deeply, appreciating being out in the open air after a walk that felt like hours in the dark tunnel. To her surprise it was quite far from the town. Lush jungle foliage surrounded them and it all felt damp as if it had just rained, a lonely looking ship bobbed nearby in a small private harbour just past the tree line. Blair bounded forward, tail swishing as she all but disappeared in the green wildly grown plant life.

"Why do you have such a place?" The blonde asked wonderingly. It was Soul who answered as he tromped forward with his hands on his hips.

"For protection clearly, tiny tits. Never hurts to have an escape route. Especially in their line of work I would think." Rosalie nodded with a slight smile, her skirts making a soft sound as they dragged on the ground. She moved to stand beside Soul as Maka shot Soul a glare and chased after Blair onto the rocky beach.

"A piece of advice dear Captain. It is not a good idea to insult the one you are attracted to." Soul looked annoyed and folded his arms across his chest. Maka didn't comment, she was too far off chasing after Blair to hear the older woman's quiet remark.

"I'm not attracted to that infuriating thing," Soul mumbled. "How uncool could a pirate get? Attracted to an uppity naval Captain," he huffed at her, "ridiculous."

Madam Rosalie smirked at his denial though didn't comment further. "This is where I leave you." She told him. Soul frowned.

"Will you and your girls be alright?" She nodded and bared her teeth in a feisty smile.

"Sweet of you to pretend to care Captain but we'll be fine." She gestured westward. "The town is in that direction. I would suggest you hurry back to your ship and away from here. Not that its not always charming to see you," her tone held a hint of sarcasm. "But try not to take offence when I say I hope I don't see you again for quite some time." She jerked her head in Maka's direction. "At least not with that one in tow."

With a final throaty chuckle she disappeared down into the passageway again back towards her brothel.

He couldn't blame Rosalie for her comments. They'd only narrowly avoided starting quite a fight in her establishment. As much as him and his crew were good customers for her they often caused trouble when they were there. There was that time Black Star set fire to a table…or the time Liz started a whore rebellion egging them on to rise up for more rights. Then of course that time with the pig and the chicken…he sighed heavily. There were too many times.

Maka gathered the purple cat up in her arms and placed her on her shoulder. The cat sat there quite comfortably and the two of them turned to face him. The sky was overcast as he approached them and the whole area had a very earthy smell to it. "We should head back to the town then I suppose," Maka started. Soul nodded and before he could say anything else she started in the direction of the town. Either she had seen Rosalie point them in the direction or she just happened to know where she was going despite never having been here before. He wouldn't be surprised if it was the later.

The walk back was not as horrible as he anticipated. Listening to Maka and Blair's idle chatter was amusing.

"If you can turn into a lady why don't you do it more often? You could be walking right now." Blair giggled from her place on Maka's shoulder.

"And why would Blair want to do that when you can do the walking for me?" Though he walked behind them he could picture Maka's indignant look.

"You're just lazy!" She accused and Blair's tiny cat laugh rang out again. Soul struggled to contain his own throaty chuckle for fear of the naval captain's wrath.

As they walked Soul worried for his crew. Asura would not have been pleased with them escaping and he feared the other pirate would have gone to his ship immediately. Especially after he'd indicated he planned to assist Maka who Asura wanted dead. In the room of the brothel he had told Asura he'd prevented Maka's death for spite…while that was a huge part of it- it was not the only part. Again he had not been alright with Maka dying when there was something he could do about it. The thought disturbed him as usual and so he still denied it to himself.

He shook his head clear, they needed to hurry back and hopefully stop Asura from reaching the 'Demon Scythe'. His fist clenched involuntarily as a memory swam to the forefront of his mind. Asura.

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><p><em>The blade was sharp against his chest, a trickle of blood stained his white shirt where the steel cut through the cloth and bit into his flesh. Soul tried not to move for fear of it digging further into him. Cold eyes stared him down from the other end of the blade. <em>

"_So its mutiny I see," he said calmly, his red eyes were blank, not betraying any emotion. It was the same for the other though perhaps even more so, they were not simply blank; they were dead. Red eyes and lank black hair falling into his pale face. Asura grinned suddenly, his grin stretching wide seeming so much larger than normal. _

_Soul was in bed and had been woken with a blade to his throat, Asura hovering over him. His crew member, his quartermaster, was there to kill him. He had to admit he had not expected this but then again Asura had always been so…unpredictable. "Why?" Soul asked, genuinely curious and at this point thinking he would die anyway. Asura did not respond, only continued to grin as he trailed the long knife along his chest. "You owe me a reason." Soul told him firmly. _

"_I owe you nothing." Asura murmured. "Why do we need reasons anyways? Why must we explain every action with logic. Sometimes there is no reason. Sometimes we give in to more carnal feelings. Perhaps…I just wanted to kill you? Whose to say?" _

_The knife cut deeper and Soul winced as his flesh split beneath its edge. He did not get any further answer to his question. Asura lifted the knife up and plunged its tip into him. Soul cried out and arched involuntarily, his treacherous quartermaster dragged the knife across his flesh diagonally; blood bubbled up from the gash and stained his shirt, pouring over onto the sheets. Soul's scream was loud but Asura's mad laugh was louder. He did not remain conscious long. _

_Bit and pieces flashed before his eyes as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Voices floated above him too far out of reach to grasp the meaning of the words they spoke. The pain he felt as he struggled to wake was searing and he was unable to draw himself out of the fog his mind had been lost in. He soon succumbed again to the darkness. _

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><p>Soul grit his teeth at the memory. He had woken two days later bandaged in Madam Rosalie's brothel, the noise from his room when he'd been attacked had drawn attention. He had been lucky enough to have Kid and Black Star be the ones to find him and act quickly. Though Black Star had wanted to run off and wreak revenge on Asura immediately and Kid had struggled against his little…problem; Soul's wound was not symmetrical in the slightest. Liz and Patti found a doctor and thankfully they were able to save him.<p>

Though Asura escaped, with Soul's ship and most of his crew. Only the truly loyal remained behind with him. It had taken a long time after that for Soul to acquire a ship again and rebuild his crew. And after experiencing that betrayal he had not had a quartermaster or first mate since.

"Soul?" He snapped out of his reverie and glanced up at Maka who had just glanced over her shoulder. He had been rubbing his wound. "I just-wanted to thank you…" she murmured. "For helping me…perhaps…" she sighed heavily, her back to him her shoulders rose and fell with his sigh. "Perhaps I was too general when I said all pirates are scum." He gave her a shark toothed smile.

"Oh don't mistake my actions as kindness," he told her. "I am doing this for me make no mistake about that." His palms itched, they always did when he lied.

"What did Asura do to you…?" she asked softly.

"He was my first mate and quartermaster. He brought about a mutiny and tried to kill me. He stole my ship and most of my crew." He told her bluntly. Maka didn't speak for a moment.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. This was all she said. It was beyond him why she apologized, she had nothing to do with what had happened after all. He supposed it was all there was to say about it, nothing she could say would change what had happened. She just continued to walk ahead of him, Blair snoring quietly where she'd fallen asleep on Maka's shoulder.

"And you?" Soul asked after their silence. "Asura mentioned your mother. You know him too it seems?" She sighed heavily seeming reluctant though he supposed her sense of morality stopped her from not sharing after he had; she spoke up.

"He took my mother when I was little. I don't know why or how they even knew each other. I haven't seen her since I was six." He didn't know what to say. What he did know now though was why she hated pirates as much as she did.

"I-I'm sorry too," he muttered. She smiled faintly at him over her shoulder. Their walk was continued in silence from there, Soul following behind her as she seemed inclined to take the lead.

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><p>Hours later they had found their way back into town, the sun on the verge of disappearing behind the distant horizon. Blair had woken up but remained perched on Maka's shoulder. He thought he really should ask for an explanation about the cat but figured for now it could wait, there were more pressing matters to be taken care of for now.<p>

Crouched atop a warehouse roof they'd climbed onto to survey their situation Soul produced his eyeglass. He aimed it at his ship a little ways off, checking the situation on the deck. Maka nudged him for what felt like the hundredth time where she crouched beside him. "Let me see," she demanded. He frowned and lowered the eyeglass, turning to look at her.

"For goodness sake, what does it matter if I look or you look? I'm just going to tell you what I see anyways." She glowered at him and with a sigh he relinquished his eyeglass. She peered into it, staring out at the ship.

They had been right in their assumption that Asura would go after the ship. His slim figure strode across the deck. Before him, bound and on their knees was Soul's crew. Or at least those that had survived Asura's initial attack and denied his offer to join him. Maka counted ten bodies currently captured. Quite a loss, then again she couldn't imagine they'd had a lot of notice of the attack.

Fury rolled off of Soul in waves as Maka relayed what she'd seen. The ship appeared to be almost unguarded but Soul knew this couldn't be true. Asura was attempting to draw him in. Soul was no fool, he would not walk into an ambush.

She snapped the eyeglass closed as she handed it back to him and he tucked it into his sleeve. He tore a hand through his hair roughly, trying to formulate a plan quickly but his mind raced in circles not coming to any sort of decision. He straightened and stared out at his ship, he would not let this one be taken from him. He had never been one for planning ahead though, perhaps he would just rush in as he usually did. A gentle tug on his sleeve caught his attention and he whirled around. Green eyes peered up at him with an air of surety about them. Maka frowned up at him.

"If you're willing to listen…I have a plan." A plan? His more manly self wanted to tell her no they would do it his way, rush in without a thought. But the expression on her face was so much more open than usual, so willing to share. He crammed his sudden desire to accept her plan away. No cool guy listened to some woman's plan, if he gave into her now he was sure she would never listen to him again. He was the Captain, he needed to maintain control. He was the leader in their newfound partnership and she needed to learn that.

"A plan?" he made a noise as if it were the most absurd idea in the world. "Who needs a plan?" Her open and earnest expression morphed into one of irritation.

"Don't be an idiot. If we don't have a plan we'll get ourselves killed." He smirked down at her.

"Only amateurs get killed." A noise of disgust slipped from her throat and she glared at him.

"So help me Soul I will not just go rushing in there!" He groaned, he was in for a long argument.

Or so he told himself.

Soul had never been the most patient individual. It was only a matter of time before he gave into her demand that they have a plan before rescuing the crew.

* * *

><p>The guard never saw her coming. She crept up behind him silent as the grave. Reaching around she struck him over the head with handle of the pistol Soul had given her. Well, he hadn't given it to her so much as she'd forced him to hand it over. He already had two of them and she had been completely unarmed, the least he could do was hand over one.<p>

Asura's lackey slumped down as he collapsed unconscious, his torch clattering onto the cobblestone and almost rolling into a puddle. Maka placed her foot on the handle to stop it from extinguishing and went about her business. She patted down the guard, removing his belt and the sword hanging from it first.

She buckled the belt around her hips, it was loose and hung low but it would have to do for now. It felt more comfortable having a sword at her side after its absence for so long. She removed a dagger from the guard as well and with a grimace his pocketful of coins. She almost couldn't believe her own actions, stooping to thievery; but she figured she never knew when she would need it, having spent most of the money Tsubaki had given her during her time already spent in Dark Port.

Upon fastening the pirate's oversized cloak around her shoulders and jamming his three cornered hat on her head Maka bent and picked up the torch, it flared a little as it rose into open air. She adjusted the hat so it sat low on her brow, hiding her face in shadow.

The dock was quiet as she walked out from around the corner, moving amongst the crates in the direction of the 'Demon Scythe'. Her shoulders tensed a little as she passed another guard but he seemed satisfied by her put on low grumblings as she passed.

An explosion rocked the harbour nearby and Maka ducked around a crate, close to the 'Demon Scythe' but not quite upon her yet. Shouts rang out into the night and she listened as Asura's crew thundered past her, running towards the disturbance in what had only moments before been a peaceful night.

A man patted her roughly on the shoulder upon running down the ramp. He didn't seem to pay any mind to her small frame beneath the cloak. "Watch the ship eh mate? Asura'll kill us if that white haired bastard takes back his ship!" He commanded as he hurried away. She smiled a little in the shadows of her disguise. Pirates were idiots. Truly their lack of discipline was their downfall as she had always suspected. She extinguished her torch, no longer in need of it; the moonlight reflecting off the water was enough for her to see by.

She climbed the ramp quickly, nobody around to think twice of her haste in the wrong direction anymore. Soul had set off the explosion close enough to Asura's own ship docked nearby in the harbour that his crew would put its safety and protection first for sure.

She approached the bound and gagged crew members knelt upon the deck and dropped to her knees before the first in line. Their slender frame more familiar to her than the others. She removed the sack pulled over her friends head and Tsubaki's terrified indigo eyes came into view. Maka slid her recently procured dagger from her sleeve and proceeded to saw through the Doctor's bonds. Not wasting time with the gag as Tsubaki could remove it herself as Maka moved on to the next captive.

Tearing off the second captive's sack Liz's wide eyes came into view, clearly shocked to see Maka of all people.

"Maka watch out!" Tsubaki's voice ripped through the night as she hastily pulled her gag away from her mouth. Liz's bonds snapped and the cool steel of a blade pressed against Maka's throat.

"Well well…what do we have here?" a cool voice murmured in her ear. The same voice that had haunted her dreams since she was a child. Her hand tightened around the dagger in her hold. "Drop it." He commanded. She did as he asked, in no position to be difficult about it. The dagger fell onto the deck with a clatter as she released it.

She saw Tsubaki twitch as if to make a move for it and Asura's voice barked out from behind her in response to the movement. "Touch the dagger and I'll give her a nice red smile from ear to ear." The gunner currently seated in front of her put a hand on top of Tsubaki's to still her.

"Don't move love, she doesn't need another smile." The Thompson sister whispered. Maka didn't have to see his face to know Asura smiled.

"Ah, there's a smart girl," he complimented. Liz glared daggers at the pirate over Maka's shoulder.

He rose up behind her, forcing her to rise as well for fear of him cutting her throat. "Such a clever girl you are. Causing a distraction to draw my crew away. What was your plan for me though? You must have known I'd still be around? Hoped I would be asleep I suppose…or that you'd be fast enough to free them all before I came around?" He chuckled darkly. "Clever and yet foolish. What a contradiction you are." She felt his hand on her cheek and shuddered. "Just like your mother." Her face flushed with anger but she remained still, her position too compromising to let her anger get the better of her now.

The blade was so sharp Maka didn't even feel it cut her, only felt the little bit of blood that trickled down her neck as it was pressed a little too firmly against her skin. She frowned, she had hoped she would have been able to free more of them before something like this happened.

A glint just past the two girls in front of her caught her eye. Asura was too busy trying to infuriate her to notice. A flash of white hair nearby on the deck blurred past her vision. "You know. I never got the chance to kill your mother," Asura murmured, brushing her hair back from her neck. Her heart stopped. She was alive? "It would be so delicious to get the chance to kill you. You look so much like her after all." He seemed to know from her posture he'd said something that had caught her interest. "You didn't know she's still alive did you? I gave her up a long time go," he rumbled, his breath tickling her ear.

"Wh-where is-" Her hesitant question was interrupted as Soul came up from out of the shadows, pistol pointed at Asura's head.

"Let her go Asura." Asura frowned at him but didn't move to release her, if anything his grip on her arm tightened painfully so. "You know I'm a damn good shot," he snapped. "If you hurt her so help me gods I'll blow a hole through your left eye." There was a tense silence for a moment and then she felt the blade move away from her neck and she was shoved forward onto the deck roughly. Her wrists stung when she threw them out to catch her fall. Tsubaki scrambled forward to help her up and Maka gingerly touched her throat where the blade had cut her. Not missing a beat, the moment Maka had been freed Liz had snatched up the dagger and hurried to start cutting the others loose from their bonds as well.

Asura did not look as worried as Maka had expected him to. A moment later and she understood why. They had taken too long, Asura's crew was returning. She could see them in the distance approaching. Asura thrust his sword back into his belt with a wild looking smile as he backed away. "I'm sorry Soul but your attempt at vengeance will have to be placed on hold for awhile." Soul's face twisted with fury, his jagged teeth bared in a snarl.

"Fuck that-" his finger slipped over the trigger. Maka's only chance at finding her mother seemed to disappear in a flash before her eyes.

"Soul, no!" She shouted. With a confused expression he glanced at her horrified.

"What the hell Maka!"

"He knows where my mother is Soul!" She could see the conflict in his face and she feared he wouldn't listen. Why should he? He had no obligation to listen to her. What difference did it make to him if she found her mother or not? His jaw tightened and his red eyes darted out at the approaching crew. He hesitated too long, Asura had backed up to the side of the deck. He threw himself over the side and Soul fired too late. He cursed sharply at the splash below and rushed to the edge. Asura was paddling to the dock quickly. Soul rounded on the now freed crew.

"Get ready to make way! Handsomely now mates!" They needed to get out of the port before Asura and his crew were on them. They were severely outnumbered.

Maka tried to meet Soul's eyes, to apologize, to…something… but his gaze passed over her and she could see him stiffen at the sight of her. Guilt washed over her but there was no time to waste on it and so she hurried to help get the ship out to sea.

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><p><strong>Huzzah! Another chapter complete! Hope you all enjoyed, I will hopefully have another update done in the next week. However I am going on vacation for a week pretty soon here and therefore won't be writing for a bit. Though soon as I get back home I promise I'll get on writing again right away! <strong>

**Also I'll be updating 'Infection' by the end of today (I hope! Maybe don't hold me to it ehehe)**

**That's all! **

**Review me land lubbers!**

**-Song :3**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! **

**So here we have the next chapter! Finally! So sorry for the wait! But with my vacation and work its been tough to get it done! I will be trying by darndest to get Chapter ten up by the end of this coming weeked!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Nine:<span>_

They were short on crew but somehow they managed to pull out of port, thankfully their head start prevented any immediate chase. Soul frowned, seated on a crate discussing his losses with Kid who'd already had his wounds treated, a bandage across his forehead due to a gash he'd acquired. Tsubaki was currently treating the wounds of the others who'd made it through.

He grimaced when Kid detailed what had happened. He felt a horrible combination of pride and despair as he was informed that most of the crew had gone down fighting. Only a few had switched sides and many only did for fear of their lives, not because they were keen on betraying Soul.

With a heavy sigh Soul stood and gazed at the horizon; the sun was coming up in the distance, painting the waves in gold. The ship moved steadily and his white hair ruffled in the wind. The scent of the sea washing over him as the wind carried it past.

He turned a little, turning his gaze in the direction of the wheel. Maka held it was a hard expression. She was angry he could tell. At herself this time though which was a change. He was angry too. Though not at her as she thought. He was mad at himself, mad that he'd listened to her when she told him to stop. There had been no reason for him to listen and yet, yet again he had made the wrong choice based on something to do with her.

He turned away from her with a frown and shielded his eyes from the oncoming morning light as he looked up at the crow's nest. Little Pete, one of the survivors that hadn't agreed to join Asura's crew, was up in the nest. He'd acquired his nickname since joining Soul's crew. "Any sign of pursuit young Master Pete?" he called up through cupped hands.

"Nay Cap'n, we're clear far as I can see!" the boy called back. Soul gnawed his lip pensively only to regret the action when he cut it. With a hiss of more annoyance than pain he sucked his lip into his mouth, swiping his tongue over the scratch. He whirled back to Maka.

"Pull'er around starboard side Miss Albarn! Point us eastward!" he hollered to her. The blonde at the wheel nodded and quickly hauled on the wheel, for once not questioning him. He had to admit she was damn good and handled the wheel as if it were as natural as breathing.

They were too short on crew and supplies to make the long trip to the Shibusen Naval base, they would have to stop in another port town to recruit and stock up. The nearest port besides Dark Port was Hael, only four days sail away if they pushed themselves.

The memory of Asura at the end of his gun cropped up in his memory and Soul cursed himself again. The bastard wouldn't escape him next time. The moment he had the chance to kill him it would be done, Maka or no Maka.

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><p>The scissors fumbled in her hand and fell onto the deck, the thread she'd managed to snip fluttered down after it. Tsubaki cursed quietly and held her trembling hands in front of her. They ached, during the fight with Asura's crew a particularly large man had crushed her hands between him and the ship. She tried to flex them only to wince and lower them with a frown.<p>

"What the hell are you doing?" she turned her head in the direction of the voice. It was familiar to her, as was the way it made her heart jump. Black Star approached her and her patient with a combination of a disappointed and cross expression. He shoved his fellow pirate away, a dark featured man by the name of Jeb. "Whadda ya think your doing? Can't you see she's not well! Get outta here you idiot!" With a grimace Black Star cuffed him and Jeb scrambled away, his wound already having been sewn up by Tsubaki.

Black Star approached her where she sat, coming closer than she anticipated. His turquoise eyes held a serious expression she wasn't familiar with when dealing with him. Gently he took her wrists in his hands, lifting her arms up so her fingers were at his eye level. The bruising was clear and they twitched a little as he stared at them. His eyes slid past her injured hands to look her in the face. "What do you think you're doing? Working so hard when your hands are hurt like this. Not everyone is as godly as me, you can't heal like I do." His voice was gruff and quiet, Tsubaki felt a flush creep across her cheeks.

He was pressed close, standing between her legs as he turned her hands around in his grip, more gentle than she would have imagined he could have been. "Come with me," he told her, tsking as he pulled back. Tugging her off her perch he led her towards the infirmary.

Entering the infirmary he pushed her down into a seat and picked out several little bottles from the cupboards along with a bandage.

And then he tended to her wounds, and he did a decent job of it too. Tsubaki was bewildered. "Where did you learn this?" she asked him as he rubbed a salve over her hands gently, massaging her aching joints as he went. She peered up at him and he flashed her a cocky grin.

"I'm a carpenter, before you were here I was the one who took care of these idiots when they hurt themselves. Only one with godly enough abilities to do it." He sat back and scratched the back of his head with a silly expression. "Well, only sometimes, Jory took care of it most of the time after he came on board-" he opened his mouth as if he were going to keep talking but he suddenly reigned himself back with a frown. "Jory." Black Star mumbled.

Her heart twisted at his subdued expression. Jory had died during Asura's attack. She reached out to him tentatively to offer comfort, well that was her intention. He drew away from her before she could lay hands on him; he began putting away everything he'd taken out, the bandages still on the counter unused though. "You know…its okay to be upset about it-" she murmured. "You lost a lot of people you were close to-"

The blue haired carpenter huffed from where he stood with his back to her. "I'm not upset," he muttered. His fist slammed down on the counter, jostling the items in the cupboard and making her jump. "I'm angry." He sighed heavily. "But it doesn't matter. We'll get revenge on those bastards. Soul and me, we've known each other a long time. There's never been a bastard we haven't taken down when we needed to." He chuckled and scratched his nose, turning back to her and slipped onto the stool across from her. "Now lets bandage those hands of yours." Tsubaki nodded and held her hands out for him.

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><p>Maka leaned against the wheel tiredly, with the lack of crew she'd been at it all day. Soul had determined her worthy enough to steer his ship it seemed, that or he was punishing her for being the cause of everything bad that had happened to him. Guilt welled up inside her as she thought back to his angry expression when Asura had escaped, it threatened to overflow.<p>

The back of her mind tingled. It was going to rain. The tingle wasn't a strong feeling like she got when a storm was a approaching. Just a gentle sort of summer rain. She stifled a yawn.

"What's this yawning on the job?" She started a little and smiled when she found it was Kid who had snuck up on her. She laughed softly and stretched.

"Sorry I'm just…tired." Kid nodded.

"It was a long night and an even longer day. We all are. You haven't had chance to sleep at all yet though." He gestured to the wheel. "Did you want take a break? Maybe go nap? I can take over for awhile."

She eyed the wheel with a frown. "I'd feel bad giving it up now. This weather isn't going to hold." She eyed the door across the quarterdeck wistfully, wishing she could go sleep. The image of empty hammocks appealed to her greatly in that moment. Kid smiled at her a little, cocking his head.

"The weather looks fine to me, how can you tell?"

"I've always had a knack for it. I just know. Wait about an hour and you'll be able to see it in the clouds." His smile turned a little sly.

"Its like a tingle?" She nodded and quirked an eyebrow at him. He chuckled good naturedly at her expression. "I get a similar feeling at times, though you appear to be more sensitive than me." He rested a hand on the rung of the wheel. "Is it anything heavy?"

Maka shook her head. "Just a little bit of rain. It won't rain for a couple of hours but I have a feeling when I lay down I'm going to be out like a light for awhile," she was unable to suppress her yawn this time.

"Don't worry about it, go take a break. When you get up you can take the wheel back from me." She smiled.

"Okay…thanks Kid!" Eagerly, Maka headed towards the crews quarters for a well needed nap.

The crews quarters was a fair sized room with groups of hammocks hung in twos, one on top of the other. There were far too many for the tiny crew they had now. Maka sighed gratefully upon choosing a hammock and pulling herself into it.

Just as she closed her eyes she was woken as something light fell on her chest. She jumped with a gasp and her eyes flew open only to meet a wide pair of amber ones staring back. Blair had leapt onto her chest and was currently perched there gazing down at her. She groaned a little.

"Blair please. I just want to nap." The cat pouted a little.

"But I have something to tell you!" She insisted. "And its important! Also…the cabin is empty for once." Maka threw an arm over her eyes with a grimace.

"Why do you have to keep that you can talk and whatever else a secret still?" she muttered impatiently. "Soul knows, and the crew is small now…also almost half of us are girls." She moved her arm a little to peer underneath it at the cat again. "Not to mention we could use the hands on deck."

"I have no clothes!" The purple cat protested. "But we've gotten off topic, I have something tell yoouu!" The blonde rolled her eyes and covered them again with her arm.

"What," she ground out grumpily.

"Its about Asura! I didn't have a chance to tell you before…and also I forgot…" she added sheepishly. "But this is very important. When I was spying I heard some of Asura's plans. With the new deal that's been struck he's planning on raiding some of the ports along the coast near Shibusen." Maka's arm slipped away from her eyes, more attentive now. "He's planning on sacking Grigori Harbour." She bolted upright in the hammock, Blair squealed and tumbled off her chest.

Memories of her childhood home flashed before her eyes. A fire on the beach. All the little children, Grandma and Grandpa. The warm cottage home she'd left behind. She felt sick. They weren't a large port, barely even on the map. They weren't particularly rich either, the pirates would find little plunder. He couldn't. He wouldn't.

She wasn't foolish enough to believe that. He would do it. And there would be no mercy for any of them.

Pale faced, she picked Blair up and put her down on the floor as she swung her legs out of the hammock. So much for her nap.

* * *

><p>Soul observed the exchange between Maka and Kid from a distance, with a frown on his face. They were looking awfully chummy he thought bitterly. He turned away from them abruptly with a huff, alarmed at where his train of thought had taken him.<p>

He was being crazy. Kid was his crew member and friend, not to mention what would it matter if they were being chummy? It shouldn't matter to him. Maka wasn't anything of significance to him. She was just a troublesome girl who by a series of unfortunate events he had ended up stuck with. Inadvertently his gaze wandered over to her again. He heard her thank Kid pleasantly and then she turned and headed across the deck towards the crews quarters.

"Watcha doin'?" a feminine sing-song voice asked him suddenly. He jumped a little and turned. Patti was standing beside him with a grin, her hands clasped behind her back. He was alarmed when Liz sidled up next to him on the opposite side.

"Looks like he's watching someone sis," Liz smirked. Patti touched her index finger to her chin thoughtfully.

"I wonder why? He watches _that _person an awful lot doesn't he?" Liz chuckled and nodded.

"That's certainly true. Y'know I wonder if the Captain _fancies_ that person?"

"I think so!" Patti laughed, clapping her hands together childishly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Soul scoffed, growing more annoyed with the two girls by the minute.

"Then what are you watching her so carefully for?" Patti asked bluntly.

"Its not like she's a threat anymore. She risked herself to _save_ us. I'd say she's proven herself by now," Liz supported. Soul's mouth open and closed at a loss for words.

"You can never be too careful," he muttered dejectedly. Both Thompson sisters giggled at that and shoved him playfully.

"Your secret is safe with us Cap'n," Patti touched her nose and gave him a knowing expression. Soul frowned.

"What secret. Pah. The girl is filthy, she hardly looks a pirate. Would a fearsome Pirate Captain like me be interested in that?" He gestured to Maka as she disappeared into the crews quarters, her clothes rags for how long she'd been wearing them. Liz's eyes lit up with a determined expression.

"I've had a brilliant idea. I'm going to do you a favour Captain. I'll make her look the part of a pirate, then you won't be so ridiculous about admitting your undying love for her!" Liz looked delighted at her own idea, she sighed and clasped her hands together dreamily. "I have extra stuff in my trunk!" Gripping Patti's arm she dragged her sister away towards the crews quarters leaving a bewildered Soul behind.

_I am the worst Captain ever. _He thought to himself disappointedly after they left. They were all truly lucky he wasn't as fearsome as his reputation made everyone think. But then again, he would rather it this way. Not to mention with how long he'd known Liz and Patti for them to act any different with him would just feel strange.

In the long run respect was better than fear he told himself. And he was sure he had that.

* * *

><p><em>Youthful and foolish Soul Evans made his way through the port with an air about him as if he owned the world. He had done it. He had bought his ship. <em>_The__ ship. The one he'd been dreaming about. Granted he didn't have a crew besides Black Star or the faintest idea where to start forming one but he was sure he would manage it. _

_He headed in the direction of the inn he and Black Star were staying at. On a whim he decided to cut through a side street. He was already late, Black Star would holler about how he shouldn't keep a big man like him waiting, he wasn't looking forward to it. _

_The sound of people talking echoed down the alleyway. A mans voice was the clearest, though after a moment he heard feminine murmurs as well. He paused, peering around the corner before barrelling in on something he might otherwise want to avoid. _

_A burly looking man with more hair on his face and body than his head was against the wall. His shirt revealing a carpet of hair that reached all the way down to his overflowing belly. His piggy eyes had a hungry look to them and he was salivating at an alarming rate. _

"_I ain't never had sisters afore," he grunted. Soul's eyes turned to the two girls in front of him. They were pretty girls. Both blonde and blue eyed. The taller of the two's hair was longer and her shade of blonde was more of a caramel colour, her eyes a darker blue. The shorter girl had shorter hair, a brighter blonde than her sister and lighter eyes. Despite the slight differences Soul could see how they resembled one another. _

_The man slobbered like a dog with a bone. "You wenches ready to suck my dick?" he grabbed his package lewdly to emphasize. Soft, girlish laughter floated down the alleyway. _

"_Oh my, he's a ready one isn't he sis?" _

"_Oh I don't know Patti," the taller girl stepped up closer to the sweaty mouth-breather, her index finger trailed down his chest lazily. "Do you really think you're ready for this? Ready for our surprise for you? Huh big boy?" he nodded, piggy eyes shining. _

_The mood in the alleyway changed abruptly. The taller sister whipped out a pistol jabbing it into the man's gut. The one called Patti giggled and pulled out a gun as well, aiming it at the man's head with a grin. "Surprise!" she laughed. The clearly older girl lifted the pistol she held and jammed it into he mans chin. _

"_Now then Sir Piggy, you're going to empty your pockets," she told him with a deadly calm. "Everything you've got, on the ground. Understand me?" His piggy eyes were wide and fearful now. The greedy glint washed away the moment what he had thought were his conquests pulled their guns on him. _

_Soul watched as the man emptied his pockets and the two sisters proceeded to rob him of everything he had. The elder girl, Liz he had heard her sister call her, was cold and calculating. All business now, her previous flirty façade stripped away the moment the man was where she wanted him. Patti on the other hand still giggled and bounced around like a five year old hopped up on sugar. _

_The girls made 'Sir Piggy', strip down to his skivvies and then sent him on his way. "Pleasure doing business with you sir," Liz told him cheerily. He scrambled out of the alley with naught but a kick in the arse from Patti. She turned with a whoop afterward, falling on the stolen items in a pile on the ground. _

_A sound caught Soul's attention and he whirled. A man stood in the alleyway, a few steps from him, a pair of pistols in each hand. He was pale and wiry, black haired with unusual horizontal white stripes. The amber-eyed man cocked his head, his expression clinical. "Well what should I do with you?" he sighed. Soul smirked wryly at being caught spying. _

"_I take it you're with those charming ladies over there?" he gestured over his shoulder. The other man shrugged. _

"_It matters little doesn't it?" _

"_Fair enough. I mean them no harm. Same for you." Soul's red eyes shone brightly. "I have a proposition for you three." _

_To his dismay they did not immediately accept his offer to join his crew. Kid, (as he discovered the man was called) had looked thoughtful. Though Liz and Patti were less than eager. Neither of them had ever sailed before and it interested them little. _

_With a disappointed sigh Soul turned to go. His meeting with them was not over it seemed though. _

_The end of the alleyway darkened. Eight men had gathered there, and not by chance. Sir Piggy was with them; chin's quivering beneath his beard. "Seems you ladies took some stuff what don't belong to you," one of them drawled. _

_The girls exchanged looks and Kid stepped in front of them, twirling one of his pistols on his finger. He held them upside down from the way people normally did. His pinkies on the trigger. _

_Without hesitation Soul joined them, moving to stand along side them facing down their enemies on the other end of the alley. Liz quirked an eyebrow. _

"_What are you doing? This isn't your fight." Soul grinned sharply. _

"_I'm making it my fight." She frowned, seeming to be the least trustful of the bunch. _

"_Why?" _

"_Well, the way I see it. We're gonna be fellow crew members, though you may not think so yet. And a Captain should always fight for his crew. Not to mention it would be way un cool of me to walk away now, three on eight is hardly fair, four on eight is much more even." _

_Liz's frown turned into a puzzled smile. There was no time for more talk though as the eight men rushed them. Patti cackled at the fight began. "Two for each of us!" she cheered. _

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><p>Soul smiled to himself at the memory. The girls had agreed to join his crew shortly after the fight. To his delight he'd then discovered Kid had worked on ships before, the sisters hadn't but they were fast learners and in the end had become invaluable members of his crew.<p>

The Thompson sisters were often disobedient and constantly undermined his authority with their teasing but in the end they were loyal and respected him. And that was what mattered.

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><p><strong>AN: This chapter was mainly in place to show some bonding between the crew and I'm striving to get more into everyones back stories. How they came to be where they are etc. Next chapter is going to be action packed! So I hope you are all looking forward to it as much as me :)**

**-Song**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello!**

**Here it is! The next chapter! :) Its sort of longish compared to the others. Though it didn't feel that way when I was writing it. I hope to get the next one up quick here. I'm eager to get to some excellent things I have planned for this story! **

**To everyone who caught on to what I was doing with the storm sense equaling their soul perception, congrats! You're all winners!**

**Thanks very much for the reviews, fav's, subscriber alerts etc! They inspire me and make me want to get Chapters up as fast as I can for all of youu 3 **

**Without further adieu! enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Ten:<span>_

Maka trudged along behind the two pirates with a displeased frown. She had told them how Asura would target her home but when she demanded they hurry off to protect it she had been shot down. Soul's reasons had been perfectly reasonable of course. They had practically no supplies and too small a crew for such a long trip; Maka could not stop being anxious about it though despite his logic.

They had landed in Hael Towns port after four days of sailing. Soul said he had friends there who would help them, or so he claimed. Friends of pirates made Maka suspicious.

"Where are we going again?" Maka asked, skipping a little to keep up with the others through the bustling crowds. Liz smirked and glanced behind her.

"The fortress!"

Hael Town was a lot larger than she expected. It was a busy place, settled on a larger island than Dark Port was. While Dark Port was a dedicated pirate port, Hael was more of a mixture of people, naturally this was why it was so much bigger. Personally, Maka found she liked Hael better. It reminded her of home with its cobblestone streets, classic architecture, and cozy little houses. It was cleaner than Dark Port too with a lot more greenery in and around the town. Hael's most memorable feature though was the fortress built into the mountainous hill side that rose up slightly above the rest of the town.

A formidable limestone building surrounded by a wide river that went out to the sea, it towered over the port town and in the early evening the shadow of it seemed to blanket the town wholly. Vines covered a great deal of it, the grey limestone only appearing in patches throughout.

Apparently, Soul's 'friend' was self proclaimed Lord of Hael Town. In truth he was just a skilled smuggler who had taken it upon himself to make himself a Lord. Also, much to Maka's displeasure, Liz said he wasn't really a 'friend' anymore. Soul hadn't seen him and years and he and Liz had never been more than acquaintances.

"How do you know you can trust him?" Maka hissed at Soul. He frowned and continued walking, not bothering to look back at her.

"I don't truthfully. Though I hope I can. I've known him a long time so I have to try. He's our best bet to get what we need quickly and get back out to sea."

Soul, Liz and Maka. They had left the others behind to guard the ship, they were reluctant to leave it with any fewer people than they had to. As a precaution they had left the ship further out as well, choosing to row into the harbour on one of the skiffs they had on deck.

Liz had been chosen to come with them simply because she knew the Lord of Hael as Soul did. Patti had met him once as well but they were not overly fond of one another. Though the majority of the time Patti was a pleasant girl, on occasion she was known to lose her temper, the time she met the Lord of Hael had been one of those times; so it was decided that it would be better she remain behind. The sisters had been loathe to part but with the crew stretched so thin it was necessary.

The Pirate Captain had 'let' Maka come in the pretence of making it seem like he had a say in the matter. She would have followed whether he allowed it or not.

The little group headed down the walkways through the market district. Their destination, the fortress, was already looming up in the distance. They passed through where the food vendors gathered, the mouth watering scents difficult to ignore. Maka perked at a familiar smell.

She paused, her eyes sweeping over the vendors only to fall on a baker who had a cart full of tarts. Blueberry, raspberry, lemon cream. Maka's eyes lit up. They were her favourite. When she was younger, Girgori's baker used to make tarts like them and he'd always sneak and give her one. Despite his wife always scolding him for it. Unable to stop herself she hurried towards the cart.

* * *

><p>Soul stopped his determined forward march as Liz caught his arm to bring him to a halt. She smiled and pointed behind them. Maka was no longer following, she'd gotten side tracked by a bakers cart and was currently in the process of purchasing a tart.<p>

Liz had given the Naval Captain some of her clothes and in truth she had done and excellent job in dressing her. Maka may not be a pirate in spirit but she certainly looked the part now.

She'd dressed her in a black formfitting, gold embroidered vest. The style of it was flattering, accentuating her slim waist and well toned arms where she'd been given a brown leather cuff to lace up on one of her upper arms. Liz had paired it with loose brown trousers; they were worn with one of the knees torn out but they fit well and had been tucked into long black boots covered in buckles that reached halfway up her calves.

Maka had made some touches of her own, stuffing a long handled dagger into the right boot and buckling a leather strap over her shoulder that held a holster for her pistol she'd claimed. Her sword belt was black with an elaborate brass buckle, the cutlass she'd stolen from one of Asura's goons thrust inside and a money pouch tied to it along with a pouch of spare shots for her pistol.

The gunner had also given her a lovely, long burgundy jacket with black trim. Longer in the back than the front with six buttons, three on each side. Maka had left it behind on the ship though, the day was too hot for it.

She laughed at something the baker said and pushed a beaded braid out of her face. Liz had taken it upon herself to style her hair as well. Braiding assorted strands throughout her hair and beading them. She'd pulled most of it back messily a few of the braids along with some wisps of her un-braided hair loose around her face.

He shook himself, realizing he'd been quite blatantly 'admiring' her and her new look (not that her old look had been unappealing, this one was just especially so). Liz chuckled and patted his cheek. "I do good work don't I?" He shot her a glare as Maka started towards them with three tarts cupped in newly bejewelled hands gingerly. "I just wish she'd wear the hat I gave her too," Liz sighed. "It really completes the ensemble."

Maka handed them each a tart with a grin, seeming incredibly pleased with herself. Her left ear winked as sunlight caught the ruby earring Liz had lent her, the other ear bore a long feathered earring. Liz had wanted to pierce her ear again so she could wear two earrings in one ear but Maka had refused quite vehemently.

After devouring their tarts and thanking her they continued on their way to the fortress.

The portcullis was lowered over the river. Entryway open for them without having to ask which didn't surprise him. He assumed that the Smuggler Lord would know he had arrived in port, he had eyes and ears everywhere. As he suspected a pair of guards came out to meet them halfway. He was pleased to see he was familiar with them, a grin spread over his face.

"Harvar, Ox," he greeted. Harvar, stoic as ever, crossed his arms over his chest and said nothing. It is was Ox who responded.

"Soul Eater," he returned formally. "You have been summoned to see Lord Isaac. Please follow us."

* * *

><p>The interior of the fortress was built in a gothic style with pointed arches, wide windows, ribbed vaults and flying buttress'. All the furniture was massive and oaken, any shelves or store cupboards carved with a variety of historical motifs.<p>

Moving down the hallway Maka strained to hear Soul's conversation with the two guards where they walked ahead of her. Their voices hushed.

"How is the Lord of Hael Town these days?" Soul asked conversationally.

"Mi'lord is well," Harvar replied stonily. Ox sighed heavily and shot his partner a disapproving frown.

"We can tell Soul the truth Harvar I'm sure." Harvar looked unconvinced though Ox ignored him glanced at Soul again, his bald head shining. "Lord Hawkhurst grows old. He is not the young man he used to be. His mind has become more confused and cruel of late. I fear you won't find him the same as the last time you met." Soul looked pensive, his brows drawn together in thought.

"You don't believe he will be any help to me then?"

"That depends what your cause is I suppose," Ox confessed. Harvar spoke up.

"Though mostly it depends on Lord Hawkhurst's mood."

* * *

><p>The three were led into a fair-sized sitting room with a massive, arched stained glass window dominating it. The stained glass was arranged in a scene of the sea, a ship breaking against the waves with a glorious sunset lining the sky. It painted the room in iridescent light giving it a dreamlike atmosphere. The white of Soul's hair was washed out by the colour, tinted indigo one moment and emerald the next.<p>

Maka sat on a plush, velvet upholstered sofa, unable to tell its true colour from the light of the room. Liz sat across from her in a heavy looking chair, snooping through the drawer of a small oak side table. While the pirate woman did this, Maka took a moment to observe Soul. He stood by the window, gazing through the glass though what he hoped to see she couldn't be sure. The images outside would be warped nearly undeterminable with the way the light was currently filtering through.

His expression was quite serious. She watched the coloured light play across his face, from the angle she sat she could truly admire his strong jaw line. He really was quite handsome she realized with a little bit of shock. It was in an interesting and unique sort of way. She had not appreciated it before, being too busy being angry at him to really take his appearance in.

Soul was a mystery to her. So sarcastic and serious with an odd way about him that made him always appear as if the world were eternally amusing to him. He was a pirate and by rights should be callous and sadistic but he had morals and was almost kind at times. He was cocky, stubborn, lazy and blunt to the point of being rude but she…almost liked him she thought. He was going so far out of his way to help her-, no, to get revenge on Asura she corrected mentally. He had made that clear before. Helping her was just to spite Asura who wanted her dead.

The sound of a door opening came from behind them. She watched as Soul turned, the light rippling over him; the wash of emerald that had covered him turned to a pristine blue as he stepped forward. He quirked an eyebrow at her when he realized she'd been watching him. She felt her cheeks warm as she blushed and looked away to the doorway, thankful for the stained glass hiding the pink-tinge.

Ox and Harvar had returned, standing in the doorway with spears in hand as before.

"Mi'lord will see you now," Ox spoke into the quiet of the room. The three of them moved forward but Harvar placed his spear in front of them suddenly, barring the way.

"Lord Hawkhurst only wishes to see Captain Soul Eater, the others must stay." Maka frowned and Soul seemed ready to leave them both but she was not happy with this arrangement.

"I'm sorry if Lord Hawkhurst doesn't wish to see me but if Soul is going then I am going. His cause is as much mine as his if not more so. And I don't let other people ask for help on my behalf." Ox frowned.

"Mi'lord does not wish to see anyone but the Captain, wench." Her eyes narrowed.

"My name is Maka, not _wench_," she retorted.

"Whatever your name is, it doesn't matter-" he cocked his bald head, his bizarre hairstyle unmoving. "Just who are you anyways? I've never seen you before pirate wench." Temper flaring at this ridiculous man she responded snappishly.

"That's because I'm _not _a-" a warm hand clamped down over her mouth, muffling her sentence.

"Not a…round these waters very often." Soul finished for her. "She's from the farlands and a very stubborn woman. Just let her come with us or we'll be here forever. You can tell Lord Hawkhurst I wouldn't come without her." The guards exchanged glances but agreed to let Maka come.

She gave him a questioning look and he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Its better you don't notify these people you're a Naval Captain. They are pirates and smugglers and have no love for the navy." His breath tickled her ear and she shivered at the feel of it feathering across her flesh. He smirked sharply seeming to realize the effect he'd had on her. She blushed again heading after Harvar and Ox.

They didn't have far to go. Just outside the doorway was a short hallway that led to their destination. The 'throne' room of the Hawkhurst Castle.

* * *

><p>Lord Isaac Hawkhurst, self proclaimed Lord of Hael town. In his younger years he had been a smuggler, one of the most infamous in his time. Besides being a notorious smuggler he was a notorious money grubber. It was often said he never spent a single copper of the money he earned smuggling and as a result he earned enough to purchase the fortress and name himself a Lord. His collection of ships and men made it difficult to argue his claim.<p>

The throne room was wide and made of limestone, the ceilings arched and reaching dizzying heights. A long sapphire coloured carpet, trimmed in gold stretched down the length of the room and up the dais to where a thick oak throne sat. It was a massive seat, clothed in crimson velvet and carved elaborately. Six massive windows lined the walls, three on each side. In the center, above the throne itself, was a circular stained glass window shaped in the form of a kraken rising out of the sea and pulling down a ship into the depths.

Guards lined the walls, one in each space between the windows, standing in front of statues of former men who'd ruled from the castle. Two additional guards stood on either side of the throne, guarding two small doors that resided behind.

The Lord in question was seated in his throne, looking a great deal older than Soul remembered him.

Steel grey hair and equally steel grey eyes. He sat with a brooding expression, his brows knit together accentuating the twisted scowl he wore. His face was wrinkled and he had grown in a beard since Soul had seen him last, a beard as grey as the hair on his head. Isaac Hawkhurst was certainly dressed the part of a Lord, in rich velvet and furs fit for a king.

Soul wasn't sure what to do upon approaching the dais, bending the knee felt wrong but that last thing he wanted to do was offend the one he was pleading for help to.

Harvar and Ox both bowed a little at the waist and Soul followed suit, he was relieved to see Maka do so as well. "Mi'lord, the pirate Captain Soul Eater," Ox announced. Isaac's frown deepened.

"I believe I told you to bring me _only _the soul eater," he growled, shifting in his seat. "Who is this wench?" he gestured to Maka. "You'd best have a good reason for bringing her here." Soul grit his teeth, always trouble with this girl. He stepped forward to speak, interrupting Ox who was still trying to find what to say.

"My Lord…this is Maka Albarn. She is my-" he paused, stumbling over what to tell him and then inspiration struck him. "My…my first mate."

"Co-Captain," Maka interjected suddenly. Soul cursed her mentally and shot her a disapproving glare.

"Co-Captain," he conceded, not wanting to make a scene of it now of all times. "I insisted she come with me."

Hawkhurst inspected Maka scrupulously for a moment, looking down his nose at her. Then he suddenly barked out a laugh and gestured dismissively to Ox and Harvard. "You need a woman to help you run your ship 'Eater?" he chuckled as Ox and Harvard exited the room. "You've grown soft it seems. Last I heard you were still short a first mate. Someone told me you hadn't had one since your last," his chuckle became dark. "What was his name again?" he pondered for a moment and Soul set his teeth on edge. Isaac was not as he remembered him. "Oh yes, Asura," he smirked down at them.

Isaac waived his hand contemptuously. "But that is besides the point. What brings you to my Hael town Soul Eater?"

"I come as a friend-" he started. Isaac interrupted with a rude noise.

"Oh yes, a friend I have not seen in six years."

"I had hoped for a warmer reception than this with us not seeing one another in six years."

"As Lord I do not have to warmly receive anyone," he snapped.

Isaac had once been his friend years past, before he'd declared himself a Lord. Soul had found his love of the sea working on the smuggler's ship at the young age of twelve after running away from home, he'd been like a father to him, he'd helped him to purchase the Demon Scythe. Yes, he hadn't seen him since he was sixteen but he hadn't expect all the warmth to have gone out of him. When you didn't see someone you cared for in six years you would think they'd be happy to see you but no, this did not seem to be the case.

His eyes held a paranoid glint as he stared down from his throne. Soul could feel the alarming contempt rolling off him in waves.

"I came to ask you for help-"

"Help!" he spat out a sarcastic laugh. Soul frowned, growing more irritated by the minute.

"We need supplies and a crew if you can spare anyone," he said bluntly. He felt Maka's hand on his arm suddenly, he ignored it though to continue his plea. "I am seeking revenge on Asura and I am coming to you as a friend for help."

The man's grey eyes reminded him distinctly of sheet metal in that moment. Cold. He stroked his beard with a glowering expression.

"You dare to come here and tell me lies?" Soul's mouth hung open in shock, unsure what to make of this accusation. Maka was tugging on his sleeve, trying to get his attention.

"I am not telling you lies." Soul told him bluntly, making sure it was clear he was offended with his tone. Isaac scoffed.

"Perhaps not lies but you are excluding information from me, _friend_." Maka was shaking his arm now, trying to draw his attention away, he could hear her hissing his name from beside him. "This woman is not your 'co-captain' or first mate, she is a Naval Captain and she is on a mission to sabotage an arrangement that will do our kind nothing but good. And yet here you are begging help on her part you treacherous fool."

"Soul!" Maka said sharply and more loudly this time. Soul's head snapped to the side, Maka was watching him with wide eyes, clutching his arm still. "Soul look!" She almost yelled. The doors behind the throne were opening and the guards from along the walls had slowly moved closer while they had been talking.

Maka tugged on his arm again trying to pull him back. "I will not allow you to ruin things Soul," Lord Hawkhurst said. A familiar individual stepped out of the right hand door, lanky and gaunt, black hair falling around his face. "I believe you know Asura," Isaac smiled. Asura moved to stand by Isaac. "He arrived shortly before you did." He snapped his fingers. "Kill them both."

Her grip on his arm increased and she spun him around, somehow catching his hand as she did so and taking off down the carpet towards the doors. The guards of the room had moved into a circle around them, blocking the entrance. There were too many men for them to stop and truly fight though.

The naval captain vaulted forward, using him to swing off of in the direction of the two nearest guards. He watched in incredulity as she drew her sword in a fluid motion while performing a smooth roundhouse kick. She struck the guard square in the jaw and it was almost like watching something in slow motion as his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed onto the ground. She twirled out of the second guards way as he slashed down and came back around to lock swords with him.

Soul was not able to observe her for long as impressive as her display was. Other guards had reached them. He drew his own sword just in time to defend himself from a savage cut, he parried the blow throwing his attacker back. The sounds of steel on steel rang out into the room along with grunts of exertion.

Whirling, he swiped his cutlass along the backs of one of his attackers legs and he cried out, dropping. Instead of stopping Soul came full circle to slam the butt of his blade's handle into another guards face before he could even blink.

"Break through!" her shout came from nearby, following immediately by a cry of pain. Soul kicked a guard in the gut and twisted to see Maka run a man through, blood was running down her upper arm from a deep looking cut. She shoved the attacker away from her as he dropped and reeled back to face Soul her eyes shining. They came together and her hand found his again as they took off down the carpet and burst through the first set of doors. He could hear Isaac shouting behind them, his voice booming out into the throne room.

Footsteps pounded behind them and he knew they were being chased. He had caught a glimpse of more men pouring into the room from behind the throne as they left.

Tumbling into the stained glass waiting room they spun to slam the doors shut behind them. He hurried to the heavy armchair, dragging it across the room to prop it in front of the door. Liz stood with a blank expression in the middle of the room, watching them pile things in front of the door. Together they pulled the couch in front along with the wardrobe that had been in the corner.

Maka hurried to one of the other doors as Soul did the same, they jiggled the handles in unison, locked. They were trapped. The two of them turned and moved to meet one another again at the door they'd just barricaded, directly across from the wide window.

"What's happening?" Liz asked, a tremor in her voice. Her eyes were wide. There was a thump on the door and it jostled a little. He and Maka leaned against it to add their weight to the barricade. Everything shook as the thumping on the door turned thunderous. Their barricade would not last.

They exchanged a look, the cerulean light falling through the stained glass made Maka's green eyes shine all the brighter, piercing through the opposing colour. They did not need to clarify what they would do, it was communicated with a glance.

"What's going on!" Liz demanded. "What are we going to do?" The two of them pulled away from the door and slid into a ready position. "Wait," Liz asked hesitantly. "What are you doing? Where are you going?" Her voice was rising in pitch, growing more fearful.

"Through that window!" They told her in unison as they started into a dead run

"What!" The older girl shrieked. "Are you crazy! Wa-it!"

The two of them crashed into her, pulling her along with them as they leapt into the window. The glass shattered around them loudly. Radiant in multicoloured pieces, shimmering in the air around them as they rushed into freefall along with them, each piece gleaming like so many prismatic stars as the sunlight struck them.

His stomach dropped out from underneath him and he could hear Liz's high-pitched scream ringing in his ears as they fell.

They hit the water hard, a huge splash in their wake. His hold on Liz was ripped away from him and upon gaining control again he swam up towards the surface of the river that surrounded the castle. He broke the surface gasping for air at almost the same moment the girls did. Liz flipped her hair out of her face, spluttering.

"You idiots!" She shouted. "You could have got us killed!" She slapped the water in her fit of anger. Soul caught a glimpse of Maka's smile and had to suppress a grin of his own, she spun away gracefully in the water so Liz wouldn't see.

"Yell at us later," she told the other girl. "We're not out of the fire yet. We need to get out of the courtyard before they close the gate, by now most of the place has been alerted."

She began a strong swim towards the shore and the others followed. They dragged themselves up the bank, people were shouting at them from the broken window, four stories up.

"Don't move," a voice told them lowly, coming from seemingly nowhere. Soul lifted his gaze with a sinking feeling, two spear points pressed close to him and the girls, holding them in place.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ahh...*bowing and apologizing profusely* I am so sorry this was not as action packed as I promised ehehe...I really wanted to describe Hael Town well as it was so clear in my mind, not to mention some of the other imagery was too vivid in my head to ignore. **

**The end of this one was action-y...right? -.-**

**I hope you all enjoyed anyways!**

**As an apology I will work my hardest to get the next chapter up quick as I can! :D**

**Reviews win you a great deal of my love and adoration.**

**-Song :3**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello!**

**Hooray its the next chapter! (_Finally! _Says Song's readers ehehe) Sorry for the wait! I was camping :D**

**A few things I should have mentioned last time- 'Lord' Isaac Hawkhurst is an OC. I made him up to suit my purpose :) I will touch more on his character as the story goes on. Lord Death may make an appearance later though I have yet to decide if he will fit the part I want. **

**And so with that I bid you enjoy this instalment! (This is the longest chapter yet though I hardly noticed while writing it)**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER!**

* * *

><p><em><span>Eleven:<span>_

"Move," one voice told them firmly, no more that a silhouette with how the sun fell behind them. "Get up." The voice said. The second shadow moved forward, gripping Maka's arm to lift her up. She cried out as their hand came too close to her wound and pain lanced through her. Soul snarled and leapt forward shoving them back. The shadow twisted in a way that the light was no longer behind them and their face came into view.

Ox frowned down at them. "Relax Soul, I didn't mean to hurt her." Harvar stepped forward as well, his face coming into view.

"We need to get out of here, come." Liz helped Maka to stand and they all followed the two guards, they worried where they were taking them. Unsure if they would turn them in to their Lord. Soul seemed to trust them, though Maka was reluctant considering Soul's last person he trusted had just tried to kill them.

"Where are we going? The gate is the other way," Soul muttered. Ox glanced back.

"We're getting you out of here. They will be watching for you at the main gate."

"You aren't turning us in then?" Maka asked sharply.

"No." Harvar answered, eloquent as ever. Ox rolled his eyes.

"We don't approve of Lord Isaac's new alliance," he elaborated. "Soul has never been anything but a friend to us. And Asura is a creepy bastard. So don't worry your pretty little head about it." Maka grit her teeth, he just had to throw in that condescending bit at the end.

They moved along the outer wall in the shadow of the fortress. The sounds of guards moving about on the parapet echoed above them. Pushing along they were lucky to come across nobody else on their journey, they were all at the obvious exits searching for signs of them. They soon reached the North Eastern corner of the courtyard and their destination.

A small side door, hidden away in the shadow of the wall and covered in crawling vines. Harvar began pulling them away to free the door and Ox turned to Soul.

"You'd best get back to your ship and out of town quickly. He won't be happy you've escaped him and I'd imagine Asura would be even less happy about it." The door stuck a little as Harvar opened it. He had to jostle the handle and shoulder it roughly to get it to open. A collection of vines and undergrowth peeled away from the outer wall as the door opened. Harvar stepped back and Liz went through, Maka hesitated in the doorway with her hand on her cutlass' handle, watching Soul and the two guards.

"You should come with us," Soul said suddenly. "We need crew and I'd rather have men I know than new men I don't." The two spear-toting guards exchanged a look as though pondering the option. "When they find out you helped us they'll punish you both," Soul added. Harvar nodded suddenly, Maka was a little surprised that he was the first to speak.

"Its safer if we leave. We would be outnumbered here and we've already been away from our posts too long. With how Lord Hawkhurst has been lately…he'll suspect and suspicion is all it takes to set him off."

And with that logical reasoning it was determined the two men would come with them.

Maka would rather have someone other than the pompous bald freak but she was at least a little glad that the whole trip had not been a massive waste of time. They had two more to add to their crew and that was something.

Ox and Harvar stepped through the door, passing Maka who still hovered in the doorway. Soul came last, he didn't continue and pass by as the other two though, he lingered when he should have hurried. He stood in front of her with a concerned expression. His hand lifted, gently cupping her chin and turning her head a little. _What is he doing? _Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. His other hand reached out then, fingers softly brushing against her upper cheek, just beneath her left eye.

Her face was glowing from her blush she was sure and goose bumps rose up on her arms from the way he so carefully touched her. "You've cut your face," he murmured.

So she had. A small cut on her cheek that had been bleeding just a little, not enough to warrant such a display of concern. Especially considering the cut on her arm was much more worrisome. It ached and burned even with nothing touching it.

She willed her blush away, knowing he'd noticed by the cocky, crooked smile he was wearing. "Remember to protect your face when leaping through windows, tiny tits," his tone was teasing. Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. Now was not the time for flirting and riling her up she thought angrily. She batted his hand away and he continued to smirk as he exited the courtyard. Maka followed, shutting the door firmly behind them, her face still burning.

* * *

><p>They made their way back into town, cutting down the grassy hillside the fortress rested on. The side they went down faced away from the town to the sea, the sun sinking beneath the waves and lighting the water on fire. The fading light was helpful to hide them too and so they got away without being spotted. Their dilemma now was making it back to the ship which was likely being watched, Soul was thankful they'd anchored it out away from the harbour.<p>

Coming around the hillside they reached a peak that gave them full view of the harbour. Maka's breath caught at the sight that reached them. The 'Demon Scythe' was under fire, several unfamiliar though clearly ill-meaning ships were on course towards them. Cannon fire echoed into the early twilight and smoke was rising into the air. The Demon Scythe's sails were furled out, the wind pushing it out away from the harbour and towards open water.

Maka's gaze snapped to Soul, his expression was almost unreadable but the tightness in his jaw gave away his feelings.

"They're leaving us!" Liz squeaked incredulously.

"I told them to go." Soul replied shortly. "Before we left. I told them if anyone so much as looked at them the wrong way they should go and go quickly."

"But what about us!" Liz almost shouted. Maka watched Soul pensively. She, unlike Liz, understood almost immediately why he had given such orders. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened in Dark Port. He wanted to keep his remaining crew safe even if it meant putting himself at risk.

Unfortunately for her and Liz that meant they would be left behind as well.

"I'll get them a message and they'll come back when its safe. For now we'll have to find somewhere to go to ground until that time comes." Liz looked visibly upset, Ox attempted to comfort her and she batted him away; Harvar looked on impassively.

Soul's ruby eyes turned on her and the expression in them spoke volumes. He was unhappy with how this had turned out, that was plain enough to see but there was something else there too…an apology? It seemed wrong to her but that was what she found. She couldn't be sure what he was sorry for though. Sorry they were stranded here with men hunting them? Sorry the chance of the them reaching her home in time was slipping away? Or was he sorry for something else entirely?

He smiled a little crookedly and turned to Harvar and Ox. Maka's heart was beating fast she realized and she touched her chest tentatively. It couldn't be from him. That was foolish. She blew out a breath and followed the others down towards the town. She glanced back over her shoulder, the 'Demon Scythe' a speck in the distance now. The other ships did not appear to be pursuing.

Unsure where to go and with the dark of night closing around them they left Ox and Harvar to take the lead. The two had a place in mind where they would be safe for the time being.

* * *

><p>The place in question was a pub. One of the smaller ones in town and not often frequented by most of the guards in the fortress. It was a relatively clean place though difficult to spot if you weren't looking for it, tucked into the corner of a group of larger buildings. The curtains were drawn over the small window and the sign was small and faded.<p>

'_The 'Coon Cave' _was what it read.

Ox led the way, pushing the door open and guiding everyone in. The bar was small and made of polished ash, six small tables grouped around the room with chairs. There was a wide brick fireplace in one corner though unlit for the moment, a pair of cushy armchairs and a couch pulled close to it. The room was mostly dark but for an oil lamp on the bar, in addition to being dark it was mostly empty, but for a single girl sitting next to the lamp. She was bent over near it reading something, long dark hair pushed over one shoulder.

She glanced up at the sound of the door opening and the little bell above it tinkling to announce their arrival. She smiled a little at the sight of Ox and Harvar. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," she grinned. "I heard there's a real commotion up at the castle. Lord Hawkhurst's kicked up some stink about some 'traitors'-" she stopped talking at the sight of the three strangers entering the bar behind them. Her cheery expression fell. "You didn't," she groaned.

"We had to Jacqueline. He's out of control." Ox said simply. "Besides, we'll be joining them on their ship which will get us away from Hawkhurst. No need to worry about us!"

Maka thought Ox looked, anxious, peering at the doorway behind the bar and fidgeting in his place. She wondered what on earth had him so antsy but she didn't have to wait long to have her answer.

The push door swung open and a girl with a shock of short pink hair appeared. "Hey Jackie, did I hear someone come in? Are there customers, should I-" she froze at the sight of them.

"Kiiimm!" Ox crooned, flitting forward like some bizarre lovesick creature. Kim made a combination of a disturbed and an unpleasantly surprised expression then turned right back around, disappearing into the doorway she'd just emerged from, the door swinging shut behind her. Ox wilted pathetically at her shun. Not that Maka could blame the girl, she wouldn't want to face the whimpering bald man either if he was acting that way towards her.

The girl Harvar had called Jacqueline glared at Ox, throwing a rag that had been on the bar at him. He tried to block it unsuccessfully. "Can't you act normal for a minute you idiot!" She smiled sheepishly at everyone else and asked them to wait a moment before disappearing through the doorway after Kim.

A few minutes later Kim emerged again, given she returned reluctantly with Jacqueline pushing her along from behind.

Upon explaining the situation the two girls agreed to let them stay there for the night. They would try to formulate a clearer plan in the morning.

"Do you have a way for us to get word to our ship?" Maka asked. Jacqueline nodded.

"We have a raven. You could write a message and he should be able to get it there I would think." Maka nodded.

"That could work," for a moment she questioned if any of the pirates would know how to read well enough but then she remembered Tsubaki was on board. "Do you have a quill and parchment?" Kim nodded and Maka moved to follow her but she whimpered a little involuntarily and clutched her arm, the cut she'd acquired from Isaac's guards was throbbing, she'd ignored it for too long. Kim ignored her request for a quill and parchment, instead she steered her gently to sit down. She told her they could write the letter after, tending her wound was more important.

* * *

><p>It turned out Kim was a healer of sorts, she differed from Tsubaki preferring more natural healing methods though. The pink-haired girl went and retrieved what she required and set to bandaging up Maka's wound.<p>

Jacqueline lit the fire and the room seemed to transform, appearing a lot more cozy than it had a moment before. Soul lounged on the couch by the fireplace, across from where Kim treated Maka's wound at the bar while Jacqueline guided Liz and the other two boys upstairs to show them where they could sleep.

Maka's face was tight and closed off as Kim cleaned the cut on her arm. She hissed a little in pain and closed her eyes as Kim took a needle and thread to her skin, the cut was too deep to leave it unsown. She had a large cup of wine beside her and was clutching it with her free hand. Soul frowned as he watched, the firelight casting shadows across her delicate features, her nose scrunched up in pain.

He sighed heavily. He was beginning to find it difficult to ignore the way he felt when he looked at her. Especially after her fearless display in the fortress. It made him sick to think of it, those types of feelings made men weak he insisted to himself. Not to mention despite her new look she was still a Naval Captain through and through.

She chugged a third cup of wine, throat working as she drank, trying to numb herself to what Kim was doing.

A soft sob slipped from between her lips and his heart went out to her. Kim smothered some sweet smelling paste over the wound and proceeded to bandage it tight. "Its mostly lavender," she smiled. "A concoction of my own. It'll help with the pain," she handed her a small green leaf, "And so will this, chew on it for awhile." Maka nodded, her hand closing over the leaf. Kim smiled, packed up her things and disappeared into the back room to put them away. Leaving the two of them alone in the room.

Maka poured herself another cup of wine and wiped her eyes, they had teared up during Kim's stitching. She took a mouthful of her drink and moved to sit beside him on the couch. The small cut on her cheek already scabbed over a little.

She popped the little herb Kim had given her into her mouth and almost immediately spit it out, making a hilarious face as she did so. Clearly it didn't taste very good. Soul couldn't contain his laugh and she stuck her tongue out at him in a childish response.

She gave the herb a disgusted look before tossing it into the fire. Her face was flushed, her eyes too bright he realized. She was drunk, he thought incredulously. Or at least, on her way to being intoxicated for sure.

The blonde leaned over suddenly, her head on his shoulder. She smiled up at him lazily.

"Soul. Do you hate me?" she asked suddenly. Soul spluttered into his drink.

"What? Why this all of a sudden?" She shrugged and sighed, slumping further down so she was resting on his lap, she moved as if she'd lost all the bones in her body.

"I just- Things would have been a lot easier for you if you'd just killed me when you took my ship." There was silence for a beat before Soul spoke. She looked so dejected, what else could he do?

"No I don't hate you," he told her quietly. "Sure you're troublesome but I definitely don't hate you." He inhaled sharply as she shifted a little, not realizing she'd brushed against a tender area.

Her lip quirked up with a smile, her head was light in his lap and he hesitantly touched her hair. He ran the loose silky strands through his fingers. This was safe, surely, he thought to himself, she was drunk, she wouldn't remember it after all and besides she was coming onto him. Her eyes slipped closed as he played with her hair.

"Soul," she exhaled his name softly. The fire crackled gently in the background.

"Mm?" was his response.

"I don't hate you either," she mumbled. His face split into an unavoidable grin. Well that was good to know.

It wasn't long after that, that her breathing became soft and steady; she drifted off quietly in his lap. With a sigh he gently shifted her into his arms, lifting her up carefully to carry her upstairs to bed.

* * *

><p>A hand clamped over her mouth and her eyes snapped open as she came awake. Soul hovered over her with a finger to his lips indicating she should be silent. She was groggy and her head was pounding but slowly she became more lucid. Soul released his hold on her when he thought her awake enough to know what was happening and then crept towards the door in silence.<p>

Maka recognized the sounds of a commotion outside the room. How she had got in the room in the first place she couldn't remember though in that moment it mattered little. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. There were two of them, the one she'd been laying in and one across from it that looked slept in as well. She assumed Soul had been sleeping there before he'd woken her.

Muffled shouts came through the walls and then there was a crash of something being knocked over. Soul opened the door a crack, peering into the hallway. Worried for the others now Maka slid out of bed and padded quietly over to the door as well. She knelt to peer through the crack as well, ducked underneath his arm. Her stomach flopped uncomfortably inside her from the wine but she ignored it.

They were in a room at one end of a long hallway. The other doors in the hall were opened wide and the noise was clearly coming from the rooms. Shouts and scuffling. A very manly yell came through as he staggered back into the hall suddenly coming into view. He was a stranger though and she realized what was happening.

Lord Hawkhurst or Asura's men had found them and were in the process taking them in. For whatever reason they had not attempted to search their room yet. Perhaps they hadn't realized there were more of them. Whatever the reason Maka would not over analyze a gift like this, they had the element of surprise on their hands now.

The strangers dragged Liz from her room, the older girl was thrashing wildly despite being tied up. She was not allowing herself to be taken easily this was certain, the intruders struggled to pull her down the stairs, her shouts were muffled by the gag they'd given her. Ox and Harvar were dragged out next. She saw nothing of Kim and Jacqueline, Maka could only assume they were downstairs already.

Once the hallway was empty she and Soul preceded to enter it as well, slipping towards the stairs as quietly as possible. She drew her sword gently, huddling in the stairwell with Soul as they eyed up the common room of the pub.

They were greatly outnumbered but that always seemed to be the way of things she reflected. Kim and Jacqueline were there as she had expected, also bound and gagged like Liz and the two former guards. The intruders were milling about restlessly.

Maka realized with a start that she recognized one of them. The metal in his nose glinting in a familiar way. Giriko frowned as he observed the captives his men had brought down. He hooked his thumbs in his belt with a grimace.

"This was all you found?" he snapped at a generic goon. The man nodded mutely. Giriko gripped him by his shirt with menacing expression. "You searched _every_ room? Because I feel doubtful. Where is the Soul Eater hmm? And the pretty navy bitch?" He gestured to their captives savagely. "These are worthless to me! Boss doesn't want these nobodies. He wants the other two!" He released him roughly, tossing the man towards the floor. "Find them! If their little friends are here I'm sure they are too," he scoffed. "Probably still asleep in their beds. Or maybe the Soul Eater got himself some balls ands is too busy fucking the wench to realize we're here." He chuckled at his own joke and took a swig from a bottle of rum he'd stolen from the bar.

The goon rose up and started towards the stairwell. Maka tensed. Apparently they would have to make their move now. She took a step back, pressing herself against the wall as Soul stepped back as well. The man appeared at the bottom of the stair and looked up at Soul with wide eyes. Before he could speak Maka bashed him over the head with the handle of her blade. The man's eyes rolled back and Soul caught him lightly, lowering him onto the stair quietly.

"Yancy?" a voice called, growing closer. Another man appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "What the-" Maka gripped his shirt and yanked him forward, striking him in the face. This man was more prepared though, he did not fall unconscious from her strike only gained a bloody nose. He twisted from her grasp, drawing his knife.

She brought her cutlass up to defend herself batting the knife out of his grasp. He staggered backwards down the steps and into the room. Someone shouted and Soul swept past them into the room to meet his first foe.

Maka tromped towards the man who'd fallen onto his back, lifting her leg she kicked him sharply in the head. The man went still and she turned to see Soul blocking the other intruders paths. He stood in their path, cutting them off from the others. "Free them!" Soul bellowed. He spun out of an attackers swipe, his sword clanging against his foes loudly as they met.

She dashed forward, sliding across the floor on her knees to the captive group. She quickly freed Liz and Ox but one of the enemy finally got it in their head to leap over the tables towards them.

Maka, still on her knees, lifted her cutlass to block the oncoming attack. She grit her teeth and threw him back, rising up as she did. Without hesitation she tossed her knife to the currently unarmed Liz for her to free the others, then she rushed forward to meet the goon.

There was a loud whirring and grounding of metal nearby and Maka knew Giriko had truly joined the fight now. He and Soul appeared to be locked in battle from the brief glance she got.

"Get out of here!" Soul shouted. "I'll follow."

"No!" Liz shouted.

"That is an order!" he snarled as he parried Giriko's blow. "Get the fuck out of here, I will follow soon!" Giriko's harsh laugh rang out.

"You're more stupid than I thought if you think that!"

Liz looked worried but she turned to go as her Captain commanded, Ox and Harvar followed, while Kim and Jacqueline led them towards the back door.

Maka cut down her opponent swiftly but did not move to follow the others as Soul commanded. _"Maka!_" Soul's voice cracked like a whip over the clamour of the room. "I said go!" She shook her head sharply in response, closing the door the others had went through behind them and whirling to face the enemies that remained.

She kicked a chair into one mans path, tripping him up so she could take care of another, swinging her blade up and across him with a heavy blow. Soul was surrounded and quickly becoming overwhelmed.

"Stupid wench," Soul ground out. "I told you to go!" The front door opened and more men spilled in. Maka struck one down but another seemed to always spring up in his place. She felt a blade cut into the meat of her thigh and she cried out, going to one knee with the knife still jammed into her leg but not missing a beat as she rammed her own blade into her foes calf. The man screamed and fell though Maka lost her grip on her sword.

Soul was bleeding as well she could see, a cut on his head and his side was dark with blood. He was bloodied all over truthfully but she didn't know how much of it was really his. She scrambled for a weapon, drawing her pistol and firing into the next attacker who tried to come at her. She dropped it immediately, having no time to reload it, resorting to her fists.

Soul shouted to her from across the room but she didn't hear him. It was like she was in a fog, her adrenaline pumping and her blood pounding in her ears. Hands were laid on her and she kicked out at them savagely. There were too many, she could not beat them all off. Could not get to Soul who appeared to be as bad off as she was now.

One of her attackers got a good hold on her and twisted her arms behind her back she tried to pull away with all her might but his hold was strong. He lifted her up put a hand over her mouth but she bit him, blood filling her teeth. She heard his cry of pain and a curse.

He struck her then and stars exploded behind her eyes as the floor rose up to kiss her to sleep.

* * *

><p>She woke to the familiar feel of a ship rocking beneath her and the sounds of the ocean lapping against a hull. Every part of her ached and she felt sticky with blood, her head felt as if someone had tried to split it in two. The room was pitch black.<p>

"Maka?" a voice came out of the dark. A familiar voice, rough but concerned.

"Soul?" she replied, her voice hoarse. He made a grunting sound she assumed meant yes and there was scuffling noise as he drew himself closer. She tried to move closer to the sound but a stabbing pain lanced through her thigh when she did along with a warm gush of blood. She hissed in pain and pressed her hand against the wound blindly to try and stop the bleeding as her head spun.

"Maka are you alright?" he asked in a worried tone. She responded through clenched teeth.

"I'm bleeding like a stuck pig and feel like I just got run down by a cavalry charge but yes I'm alright." She heard something tear in dark as her eyes adjusted. She was definitely in a cage as she'd suspected and alongside her was another that she assumed Soul was in as well. The two of them were blocked from each other by a set of bars.

His arm shot through, a piece of fabric dangling in his grip. She dragged herself closer to him ignoring the agonizing throb in her thigh as she did so. Taking the cloth she tied it around her thigh tightly to staunch the blood flow. It needed to be cleaned though she was sure and likely stitched as well.

"Where are we?" she whispered wearily as she closed her eyes. "And how long have we been here?" She heard his sigh.

"On a ship though I couldn't tell you whose. No friend of ours that's for sure. As to how long I couldn't say either. I woke awhile ago but you remained unconscious until now." He cursed softly. "Damn it Maka, why didn't you go when I told you?"

She sighed. "You may be a Captain but you're not my Captain," she mumbled. "And besides. You expected me to abandon you there?"

"It didn't make any difference that you were. All you did was get yourself captured too."

"Shut up." She snapped. Couldn't he be a little grateful to her? Sure things had not gone in their favour but she would have hoped the gesture would have meant something. Seething and in a very foul mood she pressed down on her thigh hoping to bring the bleeding to a stop.

A light shone out in the darkness, the flame of a torch. Maka held her breath, wondering who they had the misfortune of being captive to. Giriko's face swam up in the darkness, a sharp toothed grin shining out at them.

"Well hello there," he growled. "Seems you've both woken up." Maka tried to pull herself into a better sitting position only to grimace and slump back down.

"Where are we Giriko?" Soul rasped. "Which ship is this?"

Giriko's maniacal smile grew. "You have the good fortune of being on board Captain Asura's '_Vajra'_ my friends."

* * *

><p><strong>I can't seem to get away from the cliff hangers. I do apologize but its become a habit of mine. Next chapter should by up by next weekend I hope though I've failed miserably at giving myself deadlines lately not to mention I have another chapter of 'Infection' to get up here. <strong>

**Not a lot I can think of to mention besides my choice of Kim and Jackie having a Raven to send a message both works and it doesn't. I've taken a bit of licsence with it. While messenger birds are incredibly intellegent they can usually only find a specified location that they've been trained to fly to. For this story I have imagined it would be possible for them to find a random ship at sea -.- farfetched but w/e I say. This is a piece of fiction haha. **

**I hope the teensie bit of fluff I threw in there was satisfying. It wasn't originally planned upon it just sort of happened haha. Lets call it a taste of some sweet-ness to come. **

**Thats all for now!**

**Reviews are the most lovely of gifts and I super duper appreciate every one!**

**-Song :3**

**P.S: I apologize if this is poorly edited...it is very late and I am very tired...there are like to be a few mistypes here and there. I'll try to clean it up when I have the time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Whats this? An update? Is this for real?**

**Yes it is readers. I actually updated. *cowers before reader's wrath***

**209 reviews! Good gravy thats a lot! I am so incredibly thrilled with how many people enjoy this story of mine and am eager to share it with you all. You honestly have no idea how bad I feel about how long it took me to update this. **

**Woo this chapter was a long time coming, I had to rewrite it twice. Once of my own accord and once due to my computer having a meltdown. I was sick for awhile too and with work and my computer broken this took waaay longer than it should have. Anyhoo! Lets get on with it! Here it is! Hopefully it does not dissapoint!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em>Twelve:<em>

The two of them were dragged out of their cages and up towards the deck.

Neither of them were in very good shape, Maka struggled to walk though she managed with her arm slung over Soul's shoulder. However she refused to let Soul carry her despite his insistence. He was hurt too and likely as bad as she was, his side dark with blood in addition to the nasty looking cut above his eye; she was irritated enough that she had to have him support her at all.

Giriko and the men he'd brought with him to keep them contained were not kind in handling them. They dragged Maka roughly up through the hatchway and she had to bite her lip not to scream when her leg thumped against its lip.

Soul looked unusually pale and she worried it was from blood loss, she only hoped he wouldn't pass out on her and could last until they figured something out.

The sun was high in the sky, it was the early afternoon judging from its position and again Maka wondered how long they'd been on this ship. The sunlight made her squint for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the sudden light. She grimaced when her vision cleared, the light of day revealing them both to be filthy and covered in blood.

One of the crew gripped her by the arm and proceeded to move them along to one of the cabins. "Are you taking us to Asu-" the man holding her arm backhanded her roughly.

"Shut up wench, speak when spoken too." Her face burned where he'd struck her and she held her breath for a moment, face glowing with anger. She gave Soul a sideways glance. His jaw was clenched almost as tightly as his fists.

Her brow furrowed in confusion when they were led into the infirmary. Giriko pushed her forward. "Heal them," he barked at the doctor who stood with his back to them currently.

"Asura wants them good and healthy for what he has planned, it'll be no good if they die before we get a chance to have our fun." He then turned and left, barking commands at his men he'd brought to guard them.

* * *

><p>The doctor in question was a surprisingly relaxed olive skinned man with hawk-like features. His hair was a mess of dark oiled curls drawn into a loose tail falling partway down his back. He wore his beard in a well trimmed goatee, allowing himself a clean moustache and thin beard to line his jaw.<p>

Not a particularly large man he was shorter than Soul though still taller than Maka and decently built. The man clucked his tongue at sight of them. "Well would you look at you both, such a mess you both are," his voice was smooth and held an accented lilt. His pattern of speech was unfamiliar to her.

"Who are you?" Soul grunted as the man led him to a chair and sat him down. "Why does Asura want you to heal us?"

"It is not my place to question the Captain, I do as I am told no more, no less."

"So you aren't here by choice then I take it?"

"Just so," the man smiled, his teeth were blindingly white. "As to my name, I am Iago Vidal Baldomero the fourth." He crossed the small cabin and supported Maka as he led her over to the table. He lifted her up onto the table with ease, she glared at him for touching her without asking. He only grinned in response, his onyx eyes twinkling. "We must remove this bandage, little spark. Be strong."

Maka held her breath as the doctor untied her make shift bandage and with a flush she unbuckled her pants so he could access the wound on her thigh. He gently proceeded to clean the wound. "Where are you from?" she asked curiously, wincing as he cleaned.

"A place where it is always summer and the world is sand and water," he grinned as he spoke. She cocked her head curiously and Soul spoke from nearby.

"He's from the farlands Maka."

"This is so, Iago Vidal Baldomero is from a place far from here."

"How did a doctor from the farlands end up on Asura's ship?" she asked him curiously.

"I am no doctor, little spark. Just an unlucky alchemist."

"Alchemist?" Iago nodded.

"Just so. I create. I dabble in sorcery as well from time to time. I have the ability to make things that can heal, though my hands hold no healers abilities themselves."

Iago went to the cupboard and began shuffling through bottles, the glass clinking together as he searched. Alchemy was not a respected practice in this part of the world and as a result she had never seen it in practice. It was said that it and other sorcery ran rampant in the farlands though.

The gears in Maka's mind whirred. This man was from the farlands and somehow he had ended up on Asura's ship. Why had Asura been in the farlands and when? She knew she should be focusing on the fact that they were being healed for some mysterious reason and that they were currently captive by men who wanted them dead but something in her would not let this drop.

"Where did Asura take you Iago?" He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Iago was on a merchant ship crossing the golden sea. Captain Asura's ship took us unawares at night on his way into Lythe, he put most of the ship to sword and would have killed me too had he not discovered what I am."

"Lythe?" she questioned.

"A slavers town." Soul explained for her. Iago nodded and continued.

"They are sold and bought there for numerous purposes." Slavery was outlawed as far as Maka was aware. Though she supposed since the Farlands were out of the navies waters nobody could enforce such ruling there. "He was bringing in slaves of his own to sell. Though he did not have many, I wondered why he would make such a trip to sell three. Two men and a woman-" he paused, his tone indicating he might have had more to say but something stopped him.

He turned to look at Maka with a curious expression, a tiny vial of some sort of clear liquid in his hand. "You know little spark, this one believes you greatly resemble the lady Asura brought to sell." Her eyes widened and Maka's lips parted in surprise. Could it be her mother had been the one on board? Had Asura gone all the way to the Farlands just to sell her into slavery? Flames of anger roared to life in the pit of her belly. She grit her teeth and tried to keep it at bay.

Iago's hand cupped her cheek turning her head so she was looking directly into his black eyes. "One so lovely should not be so angry, little spark," he told her gently. He looked sad, a sort of pity in his eyes. She cast her gaze down to her wound where it trickled blood down her pale leg in a crimson stream. "This woman, she was your mother yes?" Maka nodded slowly.

"I think so, though I can't be sure."

"Just so. Though with how much you resemble her Iago would not be surprised."

"Do you know who he sold her to?" The Farlander shook his head with a frown.

The vial in his hand glittered in the lamplight as he uncapped it. With a concentrated expression he let one drop roll over the bottles lip and fall onto her broken flesh. She expected it to sting or at least something to that effect. The usual feeling when a wound was being cleaned or disinfected. However it was nothing like that. A sort of warmth came over her, she could feel it spreading through the injury gently and leaving a tingling feeling in its wake.

Then something incredible happened, she watched as her skin seemed to melt back together before her very eyes. It was as if the wound were never there. The last thing drop of blood sliding away from perfectly healed pale flesh.

"How-?" her gaze lifted to meet Iago's. "How is this possible?" He flashed her another brilliantly white grin.

"As the red eyed one said, Iago is an alchemist. With a few tricks up his sleeve," he winked. Soul's brow was furrowed, he was hovering nearby with thoughtful expression. Iago dabbed a bit of the elixir on his fingertip and brushed it across the small cut on her face. She felt the warmth again and then it vanished. He did not touch the wound on her arm with the potion, Kim had already worked to heal it with natural methods and it was currently filled with stitches. He did clean and rebandage it though.

"There is a bird in the land I am from, with feathers of flame and gold. When one combines its tears with other ingredients one gets a powerful healing elixir that does just what you have seen." He smiled. "But it is difficult to acquire this birds tears and even more difficult to find it. They are rare indeed." He lowered his voice. "I only have this and one other small bottle of the elixir in my hands. I fear while stuck with Captain Asura's crew I will end up using it all. They only keep me alive as they think I can remake the potion when it is gone."

Maka hopped down off the counter and tested her leg. It was as if it had never been hurt. She stretched it out as she watched Iago move to take care of Soul. She grimaced as they peeled his stained shirt away from the wound. As awful as it looked it was nothing for the elixir. Two drops and the wound was gone, healed and whole. One drop did the wound on his head fine.

She wished they could help Iago somehow but when it came down to it they couldn't even help themselves so how could they hope to do anything for him?

"Giriko will be returning for you soon I fear," he murmured.

"You have no idea what he's planning to do with us?" Iago shook his head.

"I fear not."

* * *

><p>They were bound and brought out to the deck. Maka was wracking her brains all the while trying to formulate some sort of plan to escape but it seemed near impossible. Shoved down onto her knee's Maka gazed up at the shadow of her captor with squinting eyes. The sun shining too brightly behind him to see.<p>

"Ah sweet Miss Albarn-" he began.

"Captain Albarn." Maka corrected. Asura's smile twisted.

"I believe a Captain requires a ship," he said softly. She glared in response. "As I was saying its such a _pleasure _to see you again and you Soul as well." He stared down at them without expression, his eyes impassive. "You are likely wondering why I had you healed. Why not let you die of your wounds? Suffer more?" He jabbed them with his boot. "Stand up." They both did so, clumsily though without their hands and the boat rocking beneath them.

He led them to the railing, his dark hair ruffling in the breeze that swept past. His tattooed third eye peeking in and out of view as the lank strands brushed past his forehead. With a slight smile he gestured out across the water.

The ship had been anchored by a small spit of land, crystal clear shallows rolled in waves nearby, brilliant coral in perfect sight beneath them. Asura continued to look impassive as he observed their expressions while they took in the sight before them. Perfect puffs of clouds slid by in the blue sky above them.

"I thought long and hard on what would be the best way to remove the two thorns in my side," he murmured. "Just a regular removal didn't seem right, not to mention it seems the Soul Eater has knack for surviving regular means of death as it is." He chuckled deeply. "And then it came to me. The most entertaining means for me to cut the both of you out of the picture. I'll maroon you here and while you wait, starve and thirst, you get to think on all the delightful things I'll be doing."

He turned and leaned against the rail. "Like sacking that quaint little port of Grigori for instance," Maka sucked in a breath and Asura's smile grew as he turned on Soul. "Or me decimating your ship and crew."

"It pleases me to think of you going mad while I get to have my fun."

She grit her teeth and watched as Asura's crew scrambled to set out the plank. She perked when she caught sight of Iago behind the crowd of crew members but he made no move to help them. She realized how foolish she was for thinking he might, what could he do? The odds were impossible. He looked as though he were trying to go unnoticed, he was watching them with a sad expression.

* * *

><p>Maka was to be forced to walk out onto the edge of the plank at sword point first. The crew guffawed and chuckled at the sight of her, calling lewd remarks and demanding she strip before leaping off into the water. Asura was going to make them swim for the island he was marooning them on.<p>

For a minute Soul feared they would truly make her strip before leaping into the water but they only cut her bonds and shoved her towards the unstable plank of wood. Giriko roared over the crowd that there was nothing to see anyways, laughter followed his jest and Maka blushed furiously. Her expression was stoic as she walked towards the planks edge steadily, seeming resigned to their fate in this moment.

She stood at the edge while they hollered behind her. She turned to face them and he could see the wood she stood on warp beneath her feet, she managed to remain standing though despite how it shook.

"Asura!" she called out. Soul sighed mentally. Now was not the time for speeches. "Tell me now, this is the last we'll see one another after all. What happened to my mother?" The crew's laughter rose and fell like at a wave at the sound of her voice, high in pitch as she tried to control her anger.

"Why should I tell you now?"

"To give me peace." The wrong reason. Asura would not take it.

"Why should I give you peace?" He shouted back. "Its more fun to let you lose your mind wondering what happened and being able to do nothing about it." Her chest puffed out in anger.

"Asura! I-"

"Get in the water y'wench before I shoot you myself!" Giriko snarled. Maka looked furious but she obeyed not willing to test the pirates patience. She disappeared over the side and a splash followed soon after below.

And so it was his turn. Soul walked to the edge without argument or difficulty. There was no point in resisting now. He was one amongst too many enemies. And despite Maka's skill even with her on the ship it too it was pointless to try. They would only end up killed faster.

He would rather die on the island later than directly by Asura's hand. The need for vengeance would drive him insane in the end he was sure. All this went through his mind as he walked across the shaky piece of wood.

"A kind man would give us an easy way out." Soul shouted over his shoulder. Asura looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded.

"Why not? Dead is dead I suppose." He reached into his belt and removed a short dagger. With a smile he tossed it to Soul who caught it deftly.

"No pistol? A piece of mercy for myself and the lady?" Asura barked out a laugh and the crew laughed with him. He shook his head.

"You can share the dagger." Soul sighed and turned, stepping over the plank and out into the air.

* * *

><p>After a short swim the two waded towards shore. As Soul moved forward to collapse into the sand, Maka paused still dripping in the shallow water. She watched as the ship lifted anchor and sailed away.<p>

She stood there awhile with her back to him as the ship got smaller and smaller, then finally disappeared over the horizon.

Soul left her to her grief over their situation. She would come to the shore when she was ready. As she collected herself Soul went about gathering wood for a fire and scrounging any other supplies he could find.

The island was small. You could stand on one side and still see the other with how sparse the trees were. It would take just under a half an hour to walk all around it. The only potential food or water it had was coconuts and with no proper tools to open them it was unlikely they would be much good. He was sure if worked at it he could open them but it almost wasn't worth the effort with how few there were.

They would die here. He was becoming more sure of that by the second.

He would not have the courage to kill himself though. The hope that someone would rescue them, no matter how faint it was would not allow him to.

Upon gathering wood for a fire Soul seated himself in the sand with the dagger, a coconut and rock. He then proceeded to try and open it.

Maka ghosted her way onto shore and fell into the sand near him, a few drops of the water splashed him as she sat dripping in the sand.

"I think I could catch some fish if you let me use the dagger," she told him confidently. His gaze snapped up from where he was working and he cocked his head. She did not appear dejected as he had expected. "I was looking about in the reef out there and there's _tons _of fish, not to mention shellfish of all kinds and these funny little crabs. If I could just attach the dagger to a good stick I could spear us some food easily and-"

"Is that what you were doing out there all that time?" he interrupted. She blinked and nodded.

"Yeah, I was just inspecting the reef. What did you think I was doing?"

"You were out there for _ages. _I thought you were…mourning or coming to terms or something."

"Why would I be _mourning?_" she asked incredulously. "That idiot should have killed us himself, we stand the best chance here. All we need to do is wait for a ship to come by and then-"

"Maka." Soul interrupted again. "Don't you get it? No ship is coming. Asura would have picked an area that isn't well trafficked on purpose." Maka's eyes narrowed.

"If you think that way you'll be doing just what Asura wants. He wants us to lose hope. To dwell on what he's doing. To lose our minds." She was practically burning with resolve. "We can't do that. We have to keep hope. Someone will come. We will be saved and we'll stop him." She stood and brushed the sand off of herself. "My mother could be alive. I have to find her," she added softly to herself. She then announced she was going to collect more firewood and find an appropriate stick to build her fishing spear.

He had to admire her confidence in the situation at the least but her frame of mind was ridiculous.

* * *

><p>The sun set and gave way to a full and bright moon that brightened the night darkened sky. The blanket of stars overhead reflected on the water and made it seem as though their little island were set in middle of the sky itself.<p>

The smell of fish sizzling over their crackling fire was satisfying to be sure. Soul had looked incredibly surprised she had caught anything much to her annoyance. She'd told him haughtily that she'd grown up catching fish, her childhood had been in a fishing village. It was only natural she would be good.

Their day had been a tense one. Soul's negativity was grating on her nerves and she felt like she might punch him in the middle of his stupid face if he said one more despairing thing.

After a bland though fulfilling meal Maka suggested they put out the fire. Conserve their wood for the day time for a signal fire.

"The nights warm enough we don't need it right?" she stood to kick sand on the fire and Soul stood as well, barring her path.

"What's the point. It'll be black as bloody pitch once its out and nobody is going to see a signal fire anyways."

"_Somebody _might. You can't know that nobody will see it and isn't it better to at least try?" Soul's jaw clenched.

"Why try? Its not going to work."

"Gods Soul, do you have to be so bloody negative?" she snapped. "Try to keep a positive outlook for goodness sake."

"Why should I?" he grumbled. She couldn't take it.

"Because this is your fault!" she exploded. His eyes flashed and his temper flared.

"My fault!" he thundered back.

"Yes, your fault!" she prodded him in the chest with each word. "If you hadn't decided to go to that _stupid _'Lord' in the Hael town we could be halfway to Grigori by now!"

"Don't you mean dead in the middle of the ocean from starvation or thirst?" He snarled. "We had no supplies Maka. And the first storm that hit would've wiped us out for how small a crew we had!" His jaw worked in anger and his eyes were smouldering. She swallowed a scream and prepared to shout something more at him but they were so close now. Their faces inches apart for their shouting match in the middle of nowhere.

He moved forward and in one swift motion closed the distance between them. His lips crushed against hers suddenly. His hands reaching around to pull her closer and press them together.

Her eyes were wide with shock for a moment and then something in her melted. She allowed him to tangle his fingers in her hair and she wrapped arms around him in turn hesitantly. Her lips parted allowing him entrance to her mouth and they stumbled a little as they kissed one another desperately.

Perhaps it was because of how dire the situation seemed, the fact that they would likely die, but she didn't think twice about the sudden intimacy of the moment. She felt as if he were trying to crush her into him and make them into one person and she realized she was completely okay with that.

They collapsed into the sand with him beneath her and she did not pull away. She _wanted _him she realized with a pang of surprise. She continued to return his kisses with a fervour she did not know she could have. She wanted him more than she could have ever imagined possible. He smelled of sweat and dirt and blood and most of all the sea, but it didn't matter all that mattered was the feel of his lips and his skin on hers.

His hands roamed her body, finding the lacings on the black vest she wore and untying them in a smooth motion, the vest falling open as they came undone. With that her chest was bared to the cool night, her cool breeze making her nipples hard and pert. The benefit of lacking much of a chest was not having to wear many smallclothes. The tight lacings and ribbing in the vest Liz had given her provided enough support.

She gasped as Soul's warm mouth suddenly enveloped one breast while one of his hands searched out the other, cupping it and brushing his thumb over the pink bud. She pressed her hands flat against his chest to push him away reluctantly. The fire crackled away beside them.

His eyes were hungry as he laid back in the sand and she flushed at the way his gaze raked her. She tugged at his shirt from where she straddled him and he took the hint, pulling it over his head and tossing it into the sand nearby.

He smirked crookedly, that cocky pirate bastard smirk he often wore and she wanted to glare but had to contain a laugh. How they had gone from shouting at each other to this she would never understand. He reached up and pulled her down towards him, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her more tenderly than they had kissed before.

As he kissed her she took an initiative she didn't know she had, fumbling to unlace his trousers as he showered kisses over her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and groaned as she managed to free his manhood from its fabric constraints. She inhaled sharply as he nipped at her playfully, his teeth were sharp and she knew they would leave a mark but again couldn't care less.

A laugh bubbled up inside her as they collectively struggled to un belt her own trousers and she shimmied about beneath him to get them down far enough. The urgency of the moment overtaking them, they didn't bother to completely strip themselves as he slid himself between her already slick thighs.

She gasped beneath him as he filled her and she heard his own groan of pleasure. "So tight," he grunted as he began to move, pumping in and out of her swiftly, her own hips ground against his in response.

It was as if someone had injected her with liquid fire and it was burning its way through her veins at a wild rate. All she could feel, think or taste in that moment was Soul and she believed for a moment she was like to drown in him.

They came together with a cry, collapsing sweaty and panting in the sand beside one another. As she caught her breath she twisted herself to gaze up at him. His eyes were closed and the most sated expression she could have ever pictured was painted on his features.

"Soul," she whispered. He made a low noise of acknowledgement in the back of his throat, not bothering to open his eyes. "We're going to have a signal fire tomorrow, a big one. And someone _will _save us." Soul sighed but didn't argue like before. She smiled as she closed her own eyes and pressed her cheek against his chest, his heart beating quickly still beneath her ear.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh my, some smut, yes that happened. <strong>

**I wanted it to be a frantic and passionate coupling, I hope that was portrayed. I am fairly satisfied with it I think. Its a fact people who are faced with life threatening circumstances often want to sex one another up haha. Its stress relieving or something to that effect haha.**

**Anyways! As for marooning, it is a legitimate pirate punishment. When pirates were marooned, as anyone who ever watched pirates of the carribean will know, they were given a loaded pistol to take their life if they wanted to avoid a painful death of starvation and thirst. I had Soul and Maka with a dagger as I thought Asura was just that much of a bastard, he didn't want to give them a particularly quick way out and also he didn't want Soul to have a pistol in his presence at all. Afterall, as we were told in a prior chapter, Soul is a damn good shot. **

**As for Iago Vidal Baldomero the Fourth. He is a character of my own invention who I definitely adore and I hope you also enjoyed. He may or may not be making another appearance later...**

**And I believe that is all! More to come and as always, I adore your reviews my lovelies!**

**-Song**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hurrah! An update! A longer one too!**

**Sorry for the wait, as usual for me lately I am short on time so I'll keep this short and sweet!**

**I (as always) appreciate the reviews and though I struggle to reply to them lately they mean the world to me! 333 **

**And so! Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

* * *

><p><em>Thirteen<em>

He woke to the smell of smoke.

Soul sat up abruptly, his sleep addled mind forgetting he wasn't on board a ship. Smoke meant fire and fire on a ship was bad news. His eyes scanned for the smoke and as the source of the smoke came into sight his thoughts became more lucid.

They were on an island, not a ship. Marooned by Asura in the middle of nowhere, left to die he reminded himself. The source of the smoke was a massive fire. It was as tall as him and black smoke billowed off it in humongous clouds that climbed high into the clear blue sky. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

Maka was nowhere to be seen. A part of him had hoped he'd wake with her beside him but he'd known that would be unlikely. She was a machine when it came to their survival and wouldn't have wanted to waste a minute lounging beside him even after the previous night it seemed.

His mind traced back to it and he almost wished he hadn't done it as much as he'd enjoyed it. Such a mess he made of things but he had not been able to resist the feelings that had come over him. The fact that she had responded so well made it so much more easy to give in. His mouth was drier than the sand and he wished they had drinkable water in that brief moment more than ever.

The sound of water sloshing reached him overtop of the loudly crackling frames. His eyes turned to the shore. Maka was staggering her way towards the land with her makeshift spear in hand. She pushed her sopping hair out of her face as she reached the sand and strode up to meet him. She'd removed her boots and rolled her trousers up to her knees, not that it mattered, she was soaked through.

Her eyes were guarded when she looked at him, she felt some amount of regret too it seemed. The guarded expression flickered away in a blink and she smiled at him then, showing him the fish she'd caught. It was of a decent size, its scales shining where it hung from her spear. A sudden fierce longing to grab her and kiss her as he had last night overcame him. He shook it away with alarm and a frown, eyeing the fire.

"How much wood did you use to keep that monstrous thing going?" he asked dubiously while he attempted to wet his lips. She shrugged, her posture haughty.

"As much as was needed." Her tone indicated this was the end of the discussion. She jammed the spear butt down in the sand and turned to pick something up. At first he thought it was a rock and then he realized it was a coconut.

It was mostly whole but for a piece that appeared to have been caved in. She held it out to him and he took it gratefully. The milk was watery and too sweet but it hydrated him like he needed. He had to struggle not to down the whole thing in one greedy gulp. He pulled it away from his lips and his gaze flicked up to meet hers.

"Go ahead," she murmured as she sat down. "I drank some earlier, I'm good for now," she smiled guiltily. "I had a whole one. Its only fair you do too." He grinned at her admission. "And I'm pretty sure we could get more open with some work. We'll have to ration from this point on though." He nodded and took her encouragement gladly, splashing the rest of the milky liquid down his throat.

"You've been a busy little bee this morning," he teased while nudging her, hoping to lessen the tension. She shrugged.

"I like to keep busy. Sorry for not being a no good laze-about like some people," she gave him a sideways glance, green eyes shining in a combination of annoyance and amusement. He grinned and leaned back, folding his hands behind his head.

They sat quietly for awhile, Maka stood occasionally and fanned the fire with a massive palm leaf. Black smoke rose up into the air, cut sharp against the blue of the sky. As she tended her signal fire Soul watched the clouds slip by in roiling masses of white. The black smoke reached high but not far enough to mingle with the pure puffs of cloud, it dissipated before it had that chance.

Suddenly Maka leaned back beside him. He turned to observe her delicate profile, lined with sunlight as she stared up at the sky.

"Why are you so certain somebody will save us?" he asked softly. She turned her head to look at him as well.

"Why are you so certain somebody won't?"

That was a good question. Why was he so certain? He should be burning to get off the island and wreak his revenge. A small part of him wanted to stay though, it would be so much easier to stay and just live out his numbered days here. Difficult times lay ahead if they got off the godforsaken spit of land, he knew this. Not to mention their current truce and makeshift partnership would eventually come to an end.

He turned to look at her again but she'd already turned away. Her eyes were closed so he allowed himself time to observe her for a longer moment than he would have. He felt a stab of pleasure and shame when he spotted a small bruise on her neck, his mark left behind.

* * *

><p>The second night was cold. Colder than the first had been so they kept the fire burning, granted not as large a fire as Maka had insisted on during the day. He'd managed to convince her it was smarter to not overdo it and use up all the wood they had available.<p>

She sat across from him, he caught glimpses of her between the flames as they licked up the wood in front of her. She was watching him with a curious expression.

"How did you become a pirate?" she murmured suddenly. His eyebrow lifted.

"Why?" he asked, answering her question with a question. She shrugged.

"I just-," she sighed. "I just realized I don't really know very much about you." He smiled toothily at her.

"Well I feel I already know everything about you." She scoffed at him and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Nonsense, you know nothing Soul." He leaned back on his elbows in the sand, growing uncommonly serious.

"I know you're the youngest in the navy to be selected Captain of her own ship. And only the second female Captain since your mother who was one of the best. I know you grew up in a fishing village and as a result are a fantastic fisherwoman. I know-" he trailed off as he tried to think of what else he knew about her. "I know blueberry tarts are your favourite." He smiled. "I know you fight like a man." She laughed at that and threw a handful of sand at him. "Better than a man," he corrected and she nodded in satisfaction.

"I know you hate Asura like I do and I know sometimes I cannot be sure who infuriates me more. You or him." She rolled her eyes as he chuckled.

"I know you're stubborn as an ass, quick to anger and have an appalling sense of morality." She sighed as he made it seem like having morals was a bad thing.

"I know you don't smile enough, though you should," his voice grew soft. "You're strong willed, utterly fearless, naively hopeful at times and more often than naught bear the weight of the world on your shoulders though its not yours to bear." His gaze flicked up from the dancing flames to meet hers across the fire. "You are infinitely loving and loyal to your friends, though suspicious and deadly to anybody else."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "And you hate pirates." He cocked his head at her.

"Though I admit that is one thing I don't know. Why you hate us."

She hugged her knees to her chest. "I don't hate _all _pirates. Though I admit I only realized that fact recently. But I asked you a question first." She mumbled.

With a grimace at her turning it back around to him again after he had so skilfully steered the conversation away from himself, he decided he would tell her what she wanted to know.

"I ran away from home when I was very young."

"Why?"

"A number of reasons, though Black Star was what pushed me to do it in the end."

* * *

><p><em>The cane whipped down across his knuckles sharply. The already fumbled note became more mangled as his hands crunched against the ivory keys. He sucked in a breath and his eyes watered but he did not cry.<em>

_He didn't ever cry, not since he'd turned eight. He'd realized crying only made things worse not better and since that time he had promised himself he would cry no longer._

_Eleven and a half now he sat upon the piano bench, his teacher looming over him with cane in hand. "Again," she barked. "We will do it until you get it right." She rolled her 'R's when she spoke and her sweaty, hair covered upper lip quivered. Nothing infuriated Madam more than when he fumbled a note. _

_He played through the piece again, his stomach fluttering when he reached the point he struggled with. He winced as his fingers fumbled, the note sounding flat and wrong. He braced himself for the inevitable crack of the cane across his knuckles that followed. "Again!"_

_Several tries later he was dismissed from piano practice with raw bloody knuckles and unshed tears shining in his eyes. He had grown particularly skilled as holding them in it seemed, they would blur his vision for awhile but eventually they receded and he could see clearly again._

_The maid escorted him to his rooms in silence. His parents were coming back from a trip with his brother that evening and they would want him clean and in order for their arrival. _

_Wes had been invited to play for the Duke and Duchess of… somewhere. Soul tried desperately to remember where knowing if he were asked about it that evening and he didn't give the right answer he would be in trouble for it. _

_His mother would cluck her tongue and stare down at him with cold blue eyes, disappointment radiating off her; she would throw out some subtle criticism she thought him too dimwitted to understand and his father would be silent as he always was. _

_The servants bathed him in silence, scrubbing him raw before drying him and dressing him in his best for his family's return. A different maid tried to pull the tangles from his hair with a brush roughly. No matter what she did it would not stay flat as she wanted. As he knew his parents wanted. His shock of white hair stood out every which way looking messy and unkempt. _

_Somehow Wes' hair always managed to look perfect and even when it wasn't their mother loved him still. With Soul it was not the case. _

_He was a little excited at the thought of seeing his family as much as he tried not to be. Maybe this time his mother wouldn't be disappointed with his progress. Maybe his father would actually look at him, acknowledge him. He was at least sure Wes would be happy to see him, he always was. His brother was everything he wasn't and he was good to him besides that. An angelic feat their mother always said._

_The day passed quietly as it usually did. He had another practice an hour before his family's return and again he left it with bloody knuckles, Madams words echoing in his head again. "You will never reach the level of your brother. Your mother will be disappointed yet again, she'll have my head for your lack of progress."_

_He heard the commotion at the door and he did not run towards it as he wanted to. His mother wouldn't like that. Wes never ran like a wildling and neither should he. He walked slowly and calmly towards the foyer his stomach twisting with excitement and dread making him feel sick. _

_What kind of mood would they be in? Glad and relieved to be back? Grumpy and tired from travel. _

_He rounded the corner and his family came into view. They certainly looked happy. At least in this moment before they had caught sight of him. His father was patting his brother on the head proudly as the footman brought their bags in from the coach. His mother was smiling, a rare thing for Soul to see, as she told Wes' governess how well the performance had gone. Soul hated to ruin the perfect family moment but he had to and so he stepped further into the room and into their sight. _

_His mother's smile fell and his father busied himself with assisting the footman as if his youngest son hadn't just stepped into the room. Wes smiled warmly at the sight of him, his perfect pearly white teeth displayed with a flash. Soul subconsciously pinched his lips together to hide his own teeth, sharp and unusual. _

_Dinner involved talk of Wes' exploits as it usually did. Mother discussed his next event or piece, sometimes she would talk about all the famous and important people who had praised him or requested he come play for them. Father read his paper in silence, murmuring noises in response to the things Mother said. _

_Wes nudged him under the table and Soul swallowed and glanced up from his plate of mashed potatoes. His older brother gestured with a grin to his own potatoes that he'd sculpted into a remarkable likeness of Madam, hairy lip and all. Soul stifled a giggle and ended up snorting in the process. _

_Their mothers voice cut off, her eyes growing cold and turning on Soul again as if she just remembered he were there and was displeased by the memory. "Soul. It is rude to interrupt your elders. Must you act like an animal all the time? Be silent at the dinner table," her voice was soft but the contempt in her words cut like a knife, sharper than Madam's cane had ever been. Wes looked at his younger brother when their mother continued speaking with an apologetic expression._

_After dinner they went to the parlour where the piano was set up. _

_Father sat in his armchair by the fire, still reading though now a novel he'd taken down off the shelf. Soul often wished he would read to him like he had sometimes read to Wes when he was younger. He remembered seeing Wes climb up into Father's lap and then he would read to him by the fire for hours. It stopped when Wes got older of course but Soul still sometimes hoped he would be invited into his father's lap for a story. _

_Mother would sit in the chair by the window, facing the piano and observe the boys play. Wes always went first. He would play one of mothers favourite pieces as per her request. _

_Soul would close his eyes and listen, letting the music wash over him while he tried to forget he would have to follow his brothers perfect piece. If his own did not satisfy his mother she would be disappointed again and he would be sent from her sight for days. The maid would lock him in his room and he would only be allowed out for lessons._

_Usually they left again for some other performance during this time and after they left he would be given free roam of the wide, empty house again. Alone but for the ever shadow-like serving staff and Madam during his lessons three times a day._

_Wes' piece came to a graceful end their mother applauded him softly and flashed Wes one of her rare smiles. "Beautiful." She murmured. Wes pushed out the bench and moved to his place on the ottoman while Soul slipped over to the bench like a wraith and took his place with eyes downcast. Not wanting to meet his mothers eyes for anything or he might lose his nerve._

"_Soul." His mothers voice said firmly. "Malinconia, Ninfa gentile, please." _

_Soul's hands hovered over the keys remembering his lessons earlier that day, remembering the piece he was to play. His fingertips rested against the cool ivory and he applied a faint pressure upon the high C. It rang out, not the note he was supposed to play. Music was playing in his head. But not anything he had been taught. Not what he had been told to play._

_His fingers began to move. _

_He was lost in the music. It engulfed him, enveloped him. His fingers floated across the keys and the rest of the room fell away. The piece was not pleasant or beautiful like Wes' work. It was raw. And dark. Everything Soul felt. All his tumultuous emotions laid bare._

_The final note was struck sharply and he exhaled. Not realizing he'd been holding his breath the whole time he had played. The room came back into clarity abruptly and he stared down at his hands in horror. He had disobeyed his mother. He had played something wrong. He had played something that wasn't anything at all. A nothing piece. _

_His eyes lifted and they were all staring but he could not make sense of their expressions. His father was actually looking at him which was different. His eyes were wide and his lips slightly parted, a bewildered expression Soul decided. His brother was grinning and his eyes sparkling, looking pleased though Soul could not imagine why. _

_Cringing he turned his gaze to his mother. Her red painted lips were a thin line, her mouth and jaw tight, her eyes seemed…angry. Soul's gaze shot down to the floor in alarm. "I-I'm sorry I-"_

"_Enough." Her voice cracked. "Get out." She whispered. His eyes raised to her in confusion. Get out? "Go to your room." She clarified. Soul hopped off the bench and did as he was told without question._

_Soul assumed that he was being sent from her sight as usual even though his dismissal had felt different this time. Nobody came to call on him as he suspected so he changed into his bed clothes and clambered beneath the sheets to sleep. _

_His room was an empty thing, only a bed, a desk with a chair and a dresser with a single mirror. One wide window on the south facing wall, all the walls were eggshell white along with all the sheets. With nothing else to do in the room Soul slept most of the time when his parents were home. _

_Just as Soul's eyes slipped closed his brother slid past the door and into his room. Wes grinned and came and sat on the edge of his little brothers bed. _

"_That piece you did today, where did it come from?" Soul's eyes opened. Somehow his brother had known he was not truly asleep yet. _

"_I don't know," Soul mumbled. There was a long pause. "From me," Soul said finally. "From inside me," he touched his chest. His brothers eyes shone out at him. _

"_It was amazing Soul." The younger Evans boy gazed up at his older brother. _

"_Mother didn't think so…she's angry isn't she?" Wes looked torn and full of pity for a moment._

"_Its not that-" he said wistfully. "Its just. Mother doesn't like different things. Your piece was different to say the least." Wes patted Soul's leg beneath the covers. "Try not to worry. I'm sure she'll forget about it soon. We're going into town tomorrow to see the tailor, I'll try to convince Mother and Father to let you come too." _

_Soul did not intend to get his hopes up._

* * *

><p><em>Days passed. Serving staff came and went with his meals and he was brought out for lessons with Madam but that was it. He did not see his parents once and had not seen Wes since he'd stolen into his room days before.<em>

_While his family had gone into town again Soul sat at his desk reading. _

_A tapping on the window drew his attention away from his book. He rose from his chair and dragged it across the room to the window, knowing what it was._

_He clambered up and peered out the window. A shock of blue hair met his eyes. His unlikely friend turned his head, blue hair giving way to a wide, mad looking smile. Soul unlatched the window and pushed it open. Black Star clambered in, falling into the room in a tangle of limbs and a thump. _

"_Black Star you idiot, what are you doing?" The blue haired boy grinned up at him. _

"_I saw your family in town without you and thought I would come visit." _

"_They'll be home soon, I'll get in trouble if they find you here." The other boy shrugged._

"_They won't find me here, you know that."_

_Black Star was a wharf rat. An orphan since a very young age he was a not so skilled pick pocket, he tended to shout about his greatness before he could make a clean escape. He was a menace of the docks all the same. He had yet to be caught though, he was too quick and often helped the sailors with menial tasks. _

_Soul had met him a year ago during a lengthy time his family had gone away. He'd been in the backyard just sitting outside when Black Star had leaped over the fence and fallen on top of him while he'd been escaping the dock authority. Somehow from that day they became friends. Soul often wondered about it, perhaps it was because he'd never had a friend besides his brother. Or perhaps it was because Black Star was what he wanted to be deep down inside instead of what he forced himself to be for his family's sake. _

_Whatever the reason, the boy with the self-fashioned name became his first and only friend. _

_Black Star often tried to get Soul to come away with him, to live as he did. But Soul wouldn't do it. He wouldn't leave his family no matter how they treated him. _

"_What did you come here for today anyways?" Soul asked as Black Star snatched the book he'd been reading off the desk. Black Star tossed the book over his shoulder carelessly before Soul could take it back. It clattered against the wall and onto the floor._

"_I came to ask if you're ready to come with me today?" Soul shook his head. _

"_You know my answer. Why should it change today?" Black Star wrinkled his nose. _

"_Because of how awful this place is? Because your mum's a right old bitc-" Soul shushed him before he could finish and shot him a glare. He retrieved his book, smoothing the crumpled pages and seated himself on the chair again._

"_Or…because of this." The blue haired boy handed him a folded piece of parchment. Soul unfolded it carefully overtop of the books cover. _

"_How did you even know what this says?" Soul asked curiously. Having grown up on the streets Black Star couldn't read. _

"_I overheard some sailors yapping about it." Soul skimmed the paper. _

"_A ship looking for deckhands?"_

"_Not just a ship…the Sea Banshee, Soul! Just think!"_

"_Most say she's a smugglers ship, why would they advertise openly for it?" He waved the parchment in his friends face. Black Star gave him a sheepish grin. _

"_It may not have been…openly advertised…I might've filched it." Soul shook his head exasperatedly. _

"_I- I just can't Black Star. But I won't blame you if you want to go on your own." He smiled a little. "Just come back and visit me when you come into port. I'd love to hear the stories and I'm sure I'll still be here." Pirate and adventure stories were Soul's favorite. Black Star's smile fell away. _

"_Maybe you won't be," he mumbled. Soul frowned. _

"_What are you on about?" _

"_I just-I didn't want to tell you. I hoped you'd want to come with me just by the paper…" Black Star turned away from him to face the window. "When I was in town just now. When I saw your family…I overheard them talking. Your parents I mean." Soul remained seated, his stomach in knots. "They were talking about sending you away Soul." _

_His jaw clenched. Sure he'd messed up on their night back but surely they wouldn't send him away for it? He'd messed up before. Why should things be different this time. _

"_You're wrong." Black Star turned to face him, his expression uncharacteristically serious. _

"_I'm not and I know a part of you knows it. They were talking about sending you away."_

"_You're wrong." Soul snarled this time. Black Star glowered at him._

"_Don't be getting mad at me for telling you the truth, brat."_

"_My family wouldn't send me away." Soul stood up and crossed the room with his arms folded. _

"_I don't wanna fight right now." Black Star said exasperatedly. "I came to ask you to come with me Soul. The Sea Banshee will be here two nights from now. She'll dock at midnight. You can meet me at the fourth lamp post down just before the clock strikes or you can stay here. Either way I'm going. With or without you." Black Star clambered onto the chair, pushing open the window. "Though I'd rather it be with you." He sighed and climbed out, the window falling shut behind him. _

_Soul's family returned that evening and for the first time in days he was invited out to dine with them. It was the same as always, they acted as if Soul had not been excluded from their dinners for the past few days. After dinner they went to the sitting room and both the Evan's boys took turns playing. Soul was careful to play the right piece this time and he was not sent away like before, he and Wes were allowed to retire. _

_His brother was quiet and reserved for their brief time together and as they parted to their separate rooms he gave him a sad expression. Soul was troubled by it. He tried to sleep but found it difficult. _

_Another night passed. Much the same as the last. Wes unusually quiet and sad. Though his mother was strangely reserved and his father actually smiled at him. He went to bed troubled once more. Unable to bare it he rose from his bed and resolved to sneak into his brothers room and ask him what was going on. _

_The hall was drafty and dark. He tip toed though didn't expect to cross anyone's path. It was too late, his parents and the serving staff were all likely in bed. _

_This was why the voices in the library caught his attention. The door was open just a crack, the glow of the lit fireplace creeping through and casting shadows in the hall. Soul paused, listening to the voices and recognizing them as his parents. They sounded unhappy, his mothers strained and his fathers low and troubled. _

_He dared to move closer, peering into the room. His mother was standing in front of the fire, facing a shadowed arm chair where he assumed his father sat. _

"_I will not have him here anymore," his mother murmured, the firelight dancing behind her. "I don't want him influencing Wesley. You heard that piece…something is…wrong… with the boy. We've both known it from the start." _

"_I know Dear, I just…I do not relish the thought of sending the poor thing away. He tries, darling all the time. We cannot expect him to be the same as Wes." _

"_I don't want him to be the same as Wes I just want him to not be so-"_

"_Like himself? You cannot ask that of the boy. He is who he is." She sighed heavily._

"_I just can't risk him affecting his brother. He must be sent away and soon. Before we leave again." His father was silent for a moment._

"_Where will we send him?"_

"_To a boarding school. Away from here."_

"_For how long." She sighed. _

"_As long as it takes I suppose."_

_Soul did not wait to hear more. He pulled away from the door and went back to his room, now understanding why the last two nights had been so strange. His brother had already known what was going to happen to him, or at least suspected. His mother and father did too, they'd been strange towards him because of it. And Black Star had been right…_

_He did not sleep well. _

_The third day came and as Soul rose he rose with resolve. He would not go away as his parents wanted. During the day between his lessons he wrote letters to his family. Folding them and leaving them on his desk. He went to dinner and bore their bizarre behaviour with dignity. And then once sent to bed he waited a short while before rising, fully dressed and gathering his already packed things. _

_Soul pushed the chair the window and climbed out as Black Star often did. _

_Black Star was waiting under the fourth lamp post as promised. He grinned widely at the sight of him approaching, then sobered at Soul's tight expression. The two boys nodded at one another and headed towards the docks._

* * *

><p>Soul smiled at her across the fire after recounting his life before becoming a pirate for her. Maka's eyes were sad but she smiled faintly at him.<p>

"The Sea Banshee was Ian's ship. Black Star and I made our way on his ship. It took him a year and a half to accept us on board. We just did odd jobs when they came into port." She nodded, understanding though still seeming sad, not pitying which he has expected, only sad.

"We worked on his ship for a long him. He was indeed a smuggler and he taught us his trade. He and Black Star didn't get along the best, though a lot of people don't get along with Black Star the best." He chuckled. "Isaac helped my get my hands on the Demon Scythe and I formed my own crew with Black Star."

She crawled around the fire to sit beside him. "It sounds…like it was hard." She murmured. Soul shrugged.

"It wasn't really. Not after I left home. It was a freedom I'd never known." Maka didn't say anymore about it that evening and he was grateful for it. She seemed to just know it was not a pleasant thing for him to recount and he hoped she understood why he'd chosen the life he had.

They fell asleep tucked against one another to stave off the cold. Or so they told themselves.

* * *

><p>The fifth day came, hot and dry. Soul was tending their signal fire, fanning the flames as Maka had demanded he assist her with it. He had argued about it, whining and complaining how it was too hot and he didn't want to be so near the fire. He'd let her win in the end, only arguing to get a rise out of her for his own entertainment. He was tossing a few scraps of wood onto the flames when he heard Maka shout.<p>

It was an unintelligible shout at first, born of a hesitant excitement; though it caught his attention as it was meant to. His gaze shot up to where she had clambered up a tree earlier with startling ease. She was retrieving coconuts as they had used the ones that had already fallen. She gestured out away from the island and shouted again.

"A sail!" she cried excitedly.

She slipped down the trees trunk and landed in the sand gracefully. Soul turned his eyes out to the water. It took him a moment to spot it but she was right, there was in fact a sail out there in the distance. Now whether not it was coming closer was the question.

Maka scurried to pick up another palm leaf, fanning the flames. "Are they coming closer?" she shouted. Soul squinted in the distance. The sails seemed larger and from how they were angled it was likely they were being blown in their direction.

"I think so!" he called back.

They watched it draw nearer with anticipation, praying it wouldn't suddenly change course and sail away from them. As the ship drew closer and grew larger in their sight Maka started jumping up and down and shouting, waving her arms to get their attention.

Soul caught one of her waving arms and halted her, his heart jumping. "That's the _Demon Scythe_," he breathed. He would know her anywhere. How the crew had found them was beyond him but he didn't see fit to question the miracle of it in that moment. That was his ship, her beautiful, weathered oaken hull and Reaper figurehead pointed their direction. The wide cream coloured sails furled in the wind. His heart lifted as he took her in.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Black Stars voice boomed out to them in a hearty baritone. A spot of blue hair was visible near the ships bow, arms flailing wildly.

Maka hugged him suddenly in her moment of glee. He wanted to crush her against him as he had that first night but much as he wanted to he could not do it. Not with his crew so near. She pulled away from him, leaving him feeling bereft and immediately she waded her way out into the water.

He followed behind, the warm salty waves rising up around him as he made his way out after her to their miraculous salvation. Somehow she'd known it would come.

They boarded the ship to a gleeful crew all chattering happily at finding them. He was pulled into several hugs before realizing how full his deck was. There was more crew here than there should have been. In fact from a brief glance it appeared he had a full crew which he had not had when he left.

"How…Where?" He murmured. Maka looked equally mystified. Black Star grinned, his arm draped around a beaming Tsubaki's neck.

"Come pull up a seat. It appears we've got some catching up to do."

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><p><strong>Ta Daa! :) Complete chapter! Fourteen is on a role! <strong>

**I hope this was enjoyable! I wanted to give some insight into Soul's past! **

**I will work furiously to update this! And also Infection which has been majorly neglected D:**

**Reviews are always love! :)**

**-Song :3**


	14. Chapter 14

**Finally! Next Chapter complete! :) **

**This one is not as long as the last I'm afraid but hopefully I can get the next chapter done quick. We're going to be getting into some major action here soon! Or so is my plan anyways. **

**Thanks to everyone who had read, favorited, followed, or reviewed. It means a lot to me! :) **

**Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em>Fourteen<em>

Maka trailed behind as Soul and Black Star headed towards the Captain's cabin to catch one another up. Tsubaki trailed along with her, clearly planning on following. Her wide-eyed friend had hugged her so tightly when they'd boarded the ship Maka had thought she was going to break.

Liz, Kim, Jackie, Ox and Harvar were all there which was relieving. Knowing they'd all made it out of Hael alive was good news. Kim tutted over Maka's arm, insisting she examine the wound but she batted her away letting her know she was fine for now.

They reached the cabin and Soul looked incredibly relieved to be there. He grinned at the sight of his hat perched upon the table. With a happy sigh he placed it lightly on his head and flopped into his chair, boots up on the desk. The picture of comfort.

Black Star flopped into a chair as well across from his friend, Tsubaki perched on a stool nearby while Maka opted to stand and leaned herself up against the wall.

"So. Where to begin?" Soul wondered aloud. Black Star shrugged.

"How about you tell us how on earth you found us for a start." Maka suggested. Tsubaki shook her head.

"It might be best to start before that. That part isn't really at the beginning."

There was a hammering on the door and Soul called out for whoever it was to enter. Liz and Patti burst into the cabin in a clamour. The eldest Thompson sister looked cross that they had almost started the discussion without her presence, Patti didn't appear to be as concerned, smiling widely as she hopped up onto Soul's desk to sit on its edge. Kid had followed his two mates into the room quietly, he gave Maka a soft smile as the crew collaborated in telling their story.

* * *

><p><em>The warning bell went off starting Black Star awake from his nap. He rolled out of his cot to dress hurriedly in the dark before he made his way out on deck to see what was happening.<em>

_He threw the door to his cabin open, a worried looking Tsubaki was revealed to be standing behind it, fist raised in mid-knock. "Oh good, you're up," she said, lowering her fist. "You'd best come quickly." _

_The two hurried out onto the quarter deck, Kid was already there along with Patti. The sun was just going down, burning as it sunk beneath the horizon and reflecting back on the water like a mirror. Kid lowered Soul's spyglass, before their Captain had left he'd handed it to him and told him to use it well until he returned. _

_Kid's brow was drawn together in concern as the wind ruffled a few stands of his hair. Nearby unfamiliar ships were approaching, for all of them to be heading in their direction at this time of day seemed like more than a coincidence. "What do you wanna do?" Black Star asked as he reached the rail. Kid sighed heavily. _

"_I don't know," he flattened his hair to his head, a nervous habit. "But we can't stay here." He did not seem pleased about it. _

"_Cap'n and sissy aren't back yet," Patti pointed out. _

"_Maka neither," Tsubaki added. Patti shrugged, clearly she didn't set Maka's return to be a priority. Kid shook his head. _

"_We can't wait for them to come back."_

"_How can we not?" Tsubaki asked in concern. "We can't just abandon them all. You're Captain is with them." The wind toyed with a few of her raven strands, blowing them into her eyes. Black Star had to fight the urge to brush them away. _

"_Our Captain is the one that told us to leave at the first sign of trouble." Kid muttered, not seeming to agree with the order, Black Star knew he would follow it all the same. Patti made a rude noise to show what she thought of that plan. _

"_We'll fight." She said simply. "We can take'em."_

"_All five of them? Use your head Patti." Kid chided. "Not to mention we're incredibly short on crew, if they get close enough to board we're done for." _

_Kilik appeared at Black Star's elbow, a frown on his lips. "Whatever we're going to do we need to quit arguing about it and do it now," he gestured out at the water with a frown. Their Master Gunner and temporarily elected leader turned with a nod. Kilik as Master rigger did not wait for more instructions, he turned and started on his work immediately._

"_Prepare to make way! All hands!" Kid's voice carried over the deck. Patti pouted but followed what Kid commanded all the same. The small crew that had gathered cleared quickly, Tsubaki lingered at the rail gazing out towards the docks. _

_Black Star slid up beside her and lightly touched the small of her back in what he hoped came across as a comforting motion. He was no good at these sort of things. _

"_She'll be fine," he said softly. "She's with the Captain, and Liz too. Not to mention from what I know of her she can take very good care of herself." Tsubaki turned to him with unhappy indigo eyes, the sunset reflected in them creating an eerie effect. _

"_But if we leave them-" he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her, her eyes grew wide as saucers and a blush crept across her cheeks. _

"_They'll be okay. Soul will get a message to us and we'll find them. You'll see." _

_Someone shouted at them from behind and the two pulled away from the railing to assist in getting the ship underway. _

_He moved to assist with unfurling the mail sail, hauling on one of the ropes Kilik had indicated needed to be pulled. Kid had lent Little Pete the spyglass and currently the youngest crew member was hanging from the lines and observing their pursuers. _

"_They're gaining!" he shouted down. Black Star's head snapped to the side, the enemy ships were getting too close. _

_Kid appeared to his left, assisting with the line. Gunfire cracked out like thunder into air, he glanced over his shoulder and laughed. "Don't let the gunfire phase you mates, she's too far off to land a hit." He flashed a grin at Black Star. "Bloody amateurs." _

_It took a great deal of effort but soon they were underway, the wind taking the sails and the Demon Scythe doing what she was made to do best. Cannon fire crackled behind them but no blows landed as they smoothly turned the ship and left the harbour. _

_The plan would be to circle the island and stay out of sight until they received some sort of signal or found a way to get one to the others. It would not be difficult, Black Star had earned his sea legs on a smugglers ship with one of the best. He was not unfamiliar with stealthy sailing._

* * *

><p><em>The back door to the 'Coon Cave' snapped shut behind them and they emerged into an alleyway. Liz frowned. "Where is Maka?" Kim looked concerned, her brows drawn together.<em>

"_I-I don't know…perhaps she couldn't get away?" Ox shook his head, arms folded across his chest. _

"_No, she chose to stay, she was behind me but instead of following she closed the door." _

_Liz cursed foully and kicked over a stack of crates in her moment of fury. She glanced back only to see Harvar forming a makeshift barricade. She shoved him roughly._

"_What are you doing!" she asked in alarm. He appeared unruffled by her sudden aggression._

"_Making sure we're not followed." _

"_What are Soul and Maka going to do?" _

"_Soul said to-"_

"_No," Liz snapped. "Leave it." She yanked the board away from the door. "We'll leave like we were told but I will not barricade what might be their only way out." _

_Silent as they could manage in such a fair sized group they cut their way through the darkened streets of Hael town. Liz's stomach twisted in knots, she had never been so uncomfortable following an order before in her life. She had to trust Soul knew what he was doing but it felt more and more like a bad idea the further she got from what had been their brief hideout. _

_That Maka had stayed behind felt like a kick in the teeth as well. She should have disregarded his order too. She could have helped. Soul would have been furious but what if her being there had meant the difference between them living or dying? She felt sicker at the thought. _

_The group huddled in the shadow of a building, hidden in an alleyway. After a hushed though heated conversation they determined they would head out of the town, away from the docks where they would be expected to go. Inland, towards the lush forest that lined the island. _

_There was a cove, according to Harvar and Ox. A hidden one, further back on the island where smugglers would dock when they came calling. Liz had argued Isaac was a smuggler, he would know of it and likely have it guarded but according to Harvar Lord Hawkhurst had not paid any mind to it as of late. He was not as diligent in his old age. _

_The walk was long and incredibly tiring, all throughout the night without stopping. As they slipped into the trees Liz caught the sound of someone else moving along as well. She gripped Jackie's arm, her being nearest and pulled her down with a finger to her lips. The others followed suit. _

_Crouched in the brush she scanned the surrounding area. The sound of others moving noisily through the forest met her ears and her sight was drawn to where the sound was coming from. The tree's parted and an unpleasantly familiar face emerged. _

_Giriko, he looked incredibly grumpy and a group others followed behind him. They did not interest Liz so much as the two bodies born between them. _

_Maka and Soul, limp like dolls they were carried along, both battered and bloody. Soul was carried between two men, Maka gathered in the arms of one. The group following Giriko was large. Liz took a mental count and cursed at the large numbers. There was little to no chance they would be able to remove the group and free Maka and Soul. _

_Neither appeared in good enough shape to make any daring escapes anytime soon either. _

_Kim met Liz's eyes, her expression showing she'd clearly come to same conclusions as the pirate. "What do we do?" Kim mouthed as the group trudged past them, disappearing further into the trees. _

"_We follow." Liz breathed, her words softer than a whisper. The others appeared to understand though and so they proceeded, ghosting along behind their enemy. _

_They reached the cove just as the sun began to rise, hazy purple light lining the horizon as the sky lightened. The cove was not large, big enough for two ships, maybe three if a person wanted to push things. It was tucked away, surrounded by high cliffs overgrown with ivy and numerous other plant life. _

_There was a path down to the white sandy beach, that lined the cove and down there appeared to be several skiffs all pulled up on shore where they'd been left when this group had arrived. Of course, the source of all these boats was anchored a little ways off shore, the 'Vajra', casting a wide shadow over the beach in the early morning light. _

_With clenched fists Liz watched them load Maka and Soul into the boats and row their way out to the ship. She kicked a tree in frustration as the ship pulled out of the cove and made its way out onto open water, headed gods knew where._

_Exhausted they determined they needed to sleep before anything, before they could successfully execute any type of plan they needed to rest. Despite how uncomfortable that sleep would be. The group settled in against the trees or on the ground, wherever was most comfortable. After determining who would take first watch they went to sleep._

* * *

><p>"<em>Wake up sleepy head!"<em>

_Liz's eyes peeled open painfully, crusted over from sleep and still tired from not enough of it. Through blurred vision her sisters face swam into view. Patti was crouched down over her, arms folded beneath her breasts inadvertently accentuating the already ample chest she had. The elder Thompson sister felt an insane stab of jealously. She lacked for what her sister had and it had always been a bit of a sore spot with her. _

"_Patti?" Liz croaked out in disbelief, her throat felt raw and sore. She noticed with distaste that her nose was running. She must have caught a cold. Sitting up groggily she wiped her nose on her sleeve having no better option. Patti giggled. "How did you?…" she trailed off questioningly. Patti straightened and offered her a hand up, she took it gratefully, her joints stiff. _

"_How did we find you?" Patti suggested. Liz nodded, realizing the others were all rising too. Ox who had been on watch was talking with Black Star who was also there by some miracle. _

"_It was an accident really. We _were _coming back for you guys, we just didn't expect to find you here. Black Star recalled a cove here from his days smuggling and so we decided it safest to pull in. We were heading into town for a rescue when we stumbled upon you sleepy heads. And the funny-haired one over there." She jerked her thumb in Ox's direction. "He was very rude until he saw Black Star. Apparently they know one another somehow." She chuckled. "And that's that." _

_Patti swung around to examine the rest of the group. "Where's the Captain? And Maka?" _

_Liz winced as if she'd been struck. "They aren't here," she said lowly. "They were taken." Patti's gaze sharpened, the dark part of her that always lied beneath her pleasant outer skin flashing through for a moment. _

"_How?" she asked in a sad little girl tone, the darker part of her gone as quickly as it had come. _

"_We were attacked. The Captain gave orders for us to leave him. Maka didn't obey. They were both taken and we saw Giriko the bloody bastard, load them onto the Vajra."_

"_Where did this happen? When?"_

"_Here. We saw it here. This morning. At least I think this morning I don't know how long I slept." She grimaced, knowing she looked a mess and not feeling happy about it. What she wouldn't give for all the nice things in her trunk on board the Demon Scythe, these clothes were a write off and she wanted desperately to brush through her tangles. _

_Black Star turned away from Ox with a grim expression. "Well, there is nothing left for us here. We should go." _

"_Go where?" Liz argued. "We have no idea where they've taken them." Patti frowned. _

"_We know for certain they aren't here though. So there is no point in staying."_

"_Not to mention if Isaac hears about us being here still he won't hesitate to punish." Ox added. The others murmured in agreement, proceeding to make their way back to the ship._

_Kid greeted them as they boarded. Liz climbed up the pilot ladder and was never so happy to see her Master Gunner as she was in that moment. Introductions were made between the remaining crew and those soon to be joining them. With that out of the way they settled in to make a decision. As expected. A fight ensued. _

_Kid had been left in charge by Soul, Black Star had trouble accepting this. Their Captain tried to alternate fairly between the two senior crew members but it was difficult as Black Star was not the easiest to deal with when in charge. _

"_We should return to Dark Port and build a crew," Kid assessed. Black Star scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. _

"_We should wait until we have the Captain back for that." The Master Carpenter frowned deeply. "He would want a hand in picking the crew."_

"_I know he trusts our judgement Black Star. Besides, how do you suggest we get the Captain back? We have no idea where they've taken them or even if they'll be alive before they get there." Kid argued, his brow furrowing in annoyance. Black Star's face scrunched up in thought before he lit up with realization._

"_They were going to that place Maka was from." _

"_But you don't know where that is! And you can't be sure. We have to trust they will find a way to get word to us. We have to go somewhere they can be sure to do that. And if we acquire a full crew while waiting that will only help things." _

_The two stared one another down for a moment, expressions blazing. Black Star broke first surprisingly enough. "You may be right," he sighed. "I just hate this waiting around crap." He tugged a hand through his hair. Kid nodded, a small smile quirking at his lips. _

"_Lets be off then. Dark Port it is."_

_With the extra hands this time around they made good time to Dark Port. The wind was in their favour the whole way, as if the gods themselves were hastening their pace. With that and the extra hands this time around they shaved a day off their trip. They arrived in three days time instead of four. _

_There was no sign of the Vajra in the harbour and the crew was not sure if they should be relieved or distraught about it._

* * *

><p><em>Liz lounged on the deck, sleeves and trouser legs pushed up far as she could as she soaked in the sun. Things seemed to be looking up. She never wanted to run around in the dark and sleep outside again.<em>

_There were benefits to being a woman pirate. She didn't have to deal with those infuriating petticoats and corsets. No bulky uncomfortable skirts for her. Not that they didn't look fabulous but sometimes a girl just wanted to lay in the sun without hoity toity snobs judging her for it._

_She opened one eye. Jeb swabbing the deck came into her sights and her lips curved up in a small smile. This was yet another benefit to being a pirate. His muscles were positively glistening, curling tattoos roping up his hard flesh. If things weren't seeming so bleak lately and…if he wasn't a complete dunce, she might have gone for him. Tall, dark and handsome- he was certainly appealing to the eye. _

_The cabin door opened and the raven-haired naval doctor emerged looking a little lost. The elder Thompson sister felt a stab of pity for her. The poor thing had been deeply disturbed about Maka being taken. And now Black Star was gone into town with the others and she had hated being left behind on the ship. Liz hadn't minded, she enjoyed the time to rest._

_Tsubaki approached the railing, leaning over on it to gaze out at the harbour. Most of the crew had been gone for hours, trying to recruit and bring in who they could. Only a few of them left behind on the ship. _

_The odd purple cat that dwelt on their ship hopped up on the railing, her tail swishing from where she perched. _

_Liz closed her one eye again, reluctant to stop observing Jeb's work but tired of spying. She would not blatantly stare though, no need for him to know she appreciated him in such a way. _

_The moment both her eyes were closed again there was a shout. Her eyes snapped open as the smell of smoke filled the air. There was a fire, though it didn't appear to be attached to anything…it was in the _air. _Jeb leapt back, his mop handle clattering onto the deck. _

_The flame began as a spark in the air and then suddenly it was roaring. Liz leapt from her seat looked frantically for a bucket of water. She dashed over to the mop bucket but before she could put the bizarre flame out it fizzled and with a pop the flame was gone, something dropped out of the cloud of smoke and onto the deck. _

_She shot Jeb an annoyed look at his uselessness and then stooped to pick up what had fallen. A small rolled up scroll rested on top of a pile of ashes, the remains of the fire that had gone as quickly as it had appeared. She picked up the scroll, cautiously. She was confused, the flame was gone and it had left this behind? _

"_What is it?" Tsubaki asked, suddenly at her side. _

"_I don't know." She unrolled it carefully, the parchment was delicate and she didn't want to rip it. Her breath caught as she scanned the words. _

"_What is it?" Tsubaki asked again. _

"_Coordinates," Liz replied. "Its the location of the Captain and Maka!" The Doctors brow furrowed. _

"_How?"_

"_I haven't the faintest idea-" a shout cut her off. _

"_Hallooooo!" Both girls turned and went to the rail. There on the docks was Black Star waving up at them, following not very far behind was Kid and Patti along with a crowd of others, some familiar, some not. Apparently that the Demon Scythe was looking for crew had got around fast __and apparently it was a very appealing offer._

"_May we come aboard Miss Thompson?" Kid called up. Liz's face split into a grin and Tsubaki smiled quietly down at them. _

_Ah yes, things were certainly looking up now, perhaps she would give Jeb a second look._

* * *

><p>"And so we boarded and headed for the coordinates as soon as we could," Kid murmured.<p>

The sound of Patti's swinging legs thumping on the side of Soul's desk echoed loudly into the cabin. For a brief moment nobody spoke then Soul sighed heavily and sat up, resting his chin in his hands.

"Well there isn't much to say for us. We ended up on Asura's ship. He had this alchemist heal us and then dumped us on an island to die." Maka unhitched herself from the wall.

"Wait a minute, what's up with the note? Who sent it? Also, how on earth did it get to the ship in the first place?"

Kid dug into his pocket and retrieved the note, tossing it to Maka who caught it deftly and unravelled it. Soul scowled, annoyed that his crewman had tossed it to Maka and not him. _He _was the one in charge here.

Her eyes lit up in recognition. "Its signed by Iago!" she exclaimed. Her delight was barely contained. "But how?"

"A fire letter." Soul answered as he leaned back again, putting his feet up on his desk and his hands behind his head. "I've heard of them before. It's a sorcerers trick. Not common here so I'm not surprised Iago was the one to do it."

"Who's Iago?" Patti asked happily.

"The alchemist from Asura's ship, he must have sent it when we were marooned," Maka explained.

"So what now Captain?" Black Star asked from where he sat. Soul glanced at those who'd gathered in the room. All of them were quiet, waiting on his response. This was how it should be.

"To Grigori, mates." He cracked his knuckles. "There's a bloody bastard who's got himself a date with the sharp end of my blade."

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><p><strong>More to come much sooner this time I hope!<strong>

**Exciting stuff is on the way! **

**Thanks so much for reading darlings! Reviews are always appreciated!**

**-Song :3**


	15. Chapter 15

__**Hello!**

**So yeah...I suppose you are all like, wtf? Where have you been! I don't really have much of an excuse, though I do apologize for such a long wait. Just other stuff in my life has been going on haha. I have completed two chapters for sure and am most of the way through a third. I was going to just finish the whole story and post it all at once as a sort of apology for the wait but I decided it would be kinder to post what I have for now. **

**This is quickly coming to a close. I'm estimating eighteen chapters total. Maybe nineteen depending on how satisfied I am with how it turns out. **

**And so! I will not make you all wait any longer! Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Fifteen<span>__:_

"He'll be taking his time, he thinks we're as good as dead."

"What if they discovered Iago sent the note?"

"Unlikely."

"How do you _know_? We have to make haste!"

"At risk of expending the crews energy? I don't think so."

"_Soul _I think_-_"

He rounded on her, cutting her off mid sentence. She'd been following him around the deck arguing every point he made. "You know it doesn't matter what you think because _I _am the Captain and _you _are _not_," he snapped.

Her mouth fell open in outrage, eyes burning with fury. Soul had already turned away from her and was stalking to his cabin with his own tightly coiled fury apparent in how he was carrying himself. She approached him from behind as he was opening the cabin door. He whirled, coming up close to her, face to face.

"This is the end of our discussion," he snarled then ducked into the cabin, slamming the door closed in her face. The breeze off the door blew at her pigtailed hair.

Liz looked up from where she was filing her nails with a bored expression. "Gods will the two of you just jump each others bones already. I think we'd all be a lot happier if you would." Maka shot Liz a furious expression, her cheeks a flaming red, before she jerked open the door to Soul's cabin and shut it sharply behind her. Muffled shouts followed immediately after.

There was a collective rolling of eyes across the deck.

This was how it had been for the last three days. Maka and Soul at one another's throats, shouting and in each others faces. The Naval Captain wanted to push the crew hard to make up for lost time but the Pirate Captain refused to rush them, believing Asura would dawdle thinking nobody was pursuing him. While Maka's concern was valid as Asura had a five day head start, the Captain just didn't want to wear out the crew if they could avoid it.

Maka was tense because of it. Nobody blamed her though, the place and people she grew up with were at risk.

* * *

><p>Soul's hands were like vice grips, fingers manacling her wrists as he shoved her up against the wall of the cabin. "Gods damn it Maka, that's enough." She opened her mouth to argue some more but he traded hands so he was using only one to hold her arms above her head, the other he used to cover her mouth. She glared at him, green eyes wide, chest heaving.<p>

He felt an uncomfortable stirring at their closeness, flashes of their time together when they had been marooned cropping up in his memory. He ignored it though in favour of telling her off.

"You need to relax and trust my judgement. I have known Asura a great deal longer than you have." She squirmed, caught between him and the wall. He cursed her mentally for it as the stirrings increased. "Stop moving." He muttered through grit teeth.

_Let go of me. _Her eyes said.

_I will let go of you when you learn to behave. _He answered with a look of his own.

_I'll learn to behave when you learn to stop being an egomaniacal jackass. _His brow lifted in amusement. This was different. Were they conversing solely with their eyes or was he imagining it?

_Not imagining it you're just easy to read. _

_If I'm easy to read you're an open book. _She uttered a muffled scoff and rolled her eyes, he had to fight not to grin, she was incredibly amusing when she was angry.

Something wet touched his hand and he had to bark out a laugh. "You think licking my hand will make me let you go?" Her eyes narrowed. "You will agree to behave or I'll keep you pinned here all day."

_Oh you'd like that wouldn't you? _He shrugged and just like that a sharp pain lanced through his hand. Crying out in surprise he released her mouth unintentionally.

"You bit me!"

"Of course I did!" She squirmed again, "Let me go!"

* * *

><p>Soul fell quiet. His eyes darkening with an emotion Maka could only recognize as lust. She felt herself blush furiously, being pinned up against him like this left her feeling vulnerable but his grip was too strong, she could not break his hold.<p>

She tried to avoid looking him in the eye, staring down at the floor. She knew he was watching her though, studying her reaction, she could feel it. She had hoped that they wouldn't end up discussing the event on the beach, if it were up to her they would never talk about it and just pretend it had never happened, or so she told herself.

In a moment of weakness she had given into the physical comfort of him on the beach, she would not make that mistake again. Once they saved her home and notified the Admiral of the treachery going on they would go their separate ways. It was her job to hunt down and remove pirate scum. Not go skin to skin with them in a moment of passion.

He leaned in closer, pressing his forehead against hers and exhaling softly. His eyes were closed and she was glad for it, knowing her expression was one of tormented confusion. Her heart thundered loudly in her chest and she worried he would hear it through the silence of the room.

"Maka, I can't do this." He murmured. Her brow furrowed and her nose wrinkled, at a loss for what he meant.

"Do what?" she whispered.

"Fight with you. Fighting with you like this is exhausting. I need you to back down, at least for awhile." For once his words didn't make her bristle with anger, the sincerity and lack of scorn in his tone was certainly helping to convince her he was being honest. "If we're at each others throats like this we won't stand a chance when it comes to facing down Asura. We have to be a team. A partnership." Maka's eyes slipped closed as her heart continued to race at his words, she nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry. You're right. Us fighting isn't helping the crew any either. I shouldn't question you so much in front of them. Its not my ship I need to face facts."

Her eyes opened slowly, meeting his. She never would have thought eyes like his could be so soft. He looked…sad, though she couldn't imagine why. A sudden urge to kiss him overcame her and she had to fight it back, shoving it down into a box of unthinkable thoughts in the back of her head.

For a moment she thought he might still close the distance between them but something in his eyes changed and his grip on her wrists loosened before he pulled away. She remained up against the wall, the air cool against her where he had been pressed near to her moments before.

He swallowed visibly, his expression tight. "I'm glad we have finally come to an understanding." She had to force herself to nod, her skin tingled with an unexplainable heat.

Then he turned and crossed the room to the door, he paused, hand resting on the handle. "I promise you I know what I'm doing. If I push this new crew too far there could be a mutiny. And we need them to be strong and ready for the fight to come. Pirates are not like sailors in the navy. As you are so fond of reminding me; they are less disciplined…among other things." He opened the door and exited swiftly, leaving her alone in his cabin.

Her knees trembled a moment before they gave out and she sunk to the floor. She felt something strange building inside her and she didn't like it. Was it…respect? For him. Soul. That didn't seem right, the feeling was something more. She shoved it away. She locked it in the same box she kept in the back of her mind, where she'd locked away the urge to kiss him and now her fears for her hometown.

The box rattled, demanding attention. She would need to chain her thoughts more securely. She stood shakily.

"Well that was interesting."

If she could have jumped out of her skin in that moment she would have. She whirled around prepared to attack only to find Blair seated on the desk, in the nude and in her human form. The woman grinned and winked at her.

"Were you there that whole time?" she snapped in annoyance. Blair nodded, purple strands of hair sliding over her shoulder. She pushed it back behind her ear.

"Well, not like this. I was a cat, under his desk."

"Why? What did you need to spy for?" The cat pouted prettily.

"I wasn't spying, just happened to be in the room."

"You just _happened_ to be in the Captain's cabin? What possible reason could you have for being in here. Soul knows you can talk now, you couldn't have passed yourself off as just a cat if he caught you." Blair shrugged.

"I was just…snooping a bit. Cat's are curious. Its in our nature." She smiled again evasively. "Besides, I may not have found anything interesting on his desk but the exchange between you two was certainly interesting." Maka sighed and turned away from the cat, trying to hide her fluster.

Blair hopped off the desk and took a step towards the other girl. "You two so clearly like each other. I wonder why you don't just mate. It's a simple thing, and natural." Maka's hands clenched at her sides. Blair's eyes lit up. "You already _have _mated, haven't you?" She giggled softly. "Imagine that. You humans make things so much more complicated than they need to be." She sighed and there was a pop, purple smoke wafted around Maka, the remains of Blair's magical transformation.

Maka turned, Blair was a cat again, seated at her feet.

With chained thoughts, Maka approached the door and slipped out onto the deck and into the open air.

* * *

><p>Never had three weeks been longer in Maka's life. It felt more like a year, every day crawled and her box of unthinkable thoughts rattled in the back of her head. The most unthinkable thought of all rattling at its chains, lying in wait to escape.<p>

_What if we're too late?_ She mentally tightened the chains.

She knew that the crew was only looking forward to their destination because of the fight that would ensue and the potential for plunder. After sailing with them for two and a half weeks she feared the end as she could not allow any pirates to plunder her hometown. None. Not even the crew of the Demon Scythe and she would bear arms against any who tried. She was certain this was not something that would be taken well.

It didn't matter, she would fight them all if she had too and until her last breath. A part of her heart hurt at the thought of it. She had grown genuinely fond of most of the crew and would even consider some of them her friends.

"Maka!"

She started out of her reflection and turned to smile at Kilik who grinned and gestured that he needed some assistance with the rigging. Swallowing a lump in her throat she trotted over to help.

The day was bright and clear, the wind was strong and in their favour. Despite these positive omens she could not shake the feeling of dread that had latched itself onto her heart. Soul stood nearby, calling out orders to the crew, despite his attention seeming to be elsewhere she could feel his eyes on her.

His gaze was heavy, like a hand on her shoulder. This was how things had been since their meeting in the cabin. They had not spoken to one another except for him to give orders and her to follow them.

They had made good time, Grigori was only about a days sail away now, possibly less than that. She hadn't been privy to maps and coordinates but the area was more familiar to her. She hauled on the rope alongside Kilik who tied it off and applied the belay pin to keep the sail tight.

She stood back to admire their combined efforts when a cry came from above.

"Land ho!" Little Pete's voice howled from his perch up in the lines. Maka's gaze snapped to the horizon but nothing was in sight to the naked eye as of yet. Pete came scurrying down the lines shortly after his cry, hitting the neck near the Captain to make his report on what he'd seen.

Maka slipped between a pair of crewmen to bring herself close enough to hear what he had to say. Soul was listening to Pete intently when she approached.

"So nightfall then?" he clarified.

"If we continue on this path, aye Cap'n," he nodded vigorously. "Its just a line on the horizon now but if we keep up this pace, nightfall for certain." Soul nodded, his expression somewhat thoughtful. It was clear he found approaching Grigori at nightfall

preferable. She wasn't surprised, it made sense. Asura would likely strike then, if he hadn't already.

* * *

><p>Cannon fire woke her. She started in her hammock, almost rolling right out of it onto the floor. The cabin was black as pitch and the commotion coming from outside was almost deafening. She had gone to lay down upon Tsubaki's insistence, she had been too wound up about their approach on Grigori, her anxiety painfully apparent.<p>

Somehow she had managed to sleep it seemed and now she was regretting it. The floor rocked beneath her feet as she struggle to arm herself in the dark, buckling her sword belt clumsily. She felt a stab of annoyance that nobody had woken her. They couldn't have been taken by surprise, it didn't make any sense, they should be the ones doing the surprising.

She threw open the door and emerged onto the deck. The crew was rushing about in a flurry of activity. She turned, the Demon Scythe was whipping around to pull itself flush against the bow of the Vajra. In the distance she could make out the sight of the shore, flames leapt from buildings and her heart constricted. They had not arrived soon enough it seemed.

Kid stood nearby bellowing orders as he coordinated the cannon's. Patti tossed a torch cockily, letting it flip over once in the air before catching it again. She grinned and lowered it to the fuse. The young gunner lifted her eyes to Kid who nodded his approval, sucking in a breath she roared. "FIRE ALL!" The flame touched the fuse, the hiss of it eating up its length accompanied by Patti's gleeful cackles.

In a quick burst all the cannons exploded, the sound of wood being ripped apart by the hot metal echoed into the night signifying they'd hit their mark. Maka could make out shouts and screams mingling with the explosions.

The ship continued to tip as it pulled around, not stopping up against the bow but continuing to bring itself around.

Her eyes tore to the wheel where Soul appeared to be struggling to keep the ship in control, they had pulled around too sharply it seemed. Dashing across the deck she realized she wouldn't reach the wheel in time to help.

She whipped around, the anchor was closer. Recklessly she kicked the crank and with a creak and a groan the lock came undone, chain spinning as the anchor dropped into the ocean with a splash. It was a wild action but she thought it was the only way to stop them from coming around to a dangerous position where they might be struck by their own bout of cannon fire.

Her boots slid as the ship tipped violently on its starboard side, Maka scrambled for the railing. There was a resounding thunk as the anchor struck the ocean floor and the ship jerked sharply in response, after rocking from side to side it came to a stop and Maka breathed a sigh of relief, her grip on the rail lessening.

"FIRE!" Patti roared again, Kid had wasted no time in giving her the go ahead now that the ship had recovered. Cannon's boomed as they released, Liz on one end of the ship, Patti on the other.

Maka scanned the enemy ship, a cold dread filled her when she realized the ship was not completely manned. Only a few of Asura's crew appeared to still be on board. Most of the crew were already in town then. She felt sick at the thought but didn't have time to dwell on it when another occurred to her.

"Iago," she muttered.

Dashing across she deck she scooped up a grappling hook that was piled up with other boarding necessities. She tossed the coils of rope over her shoulder as she ran towards the ships edge; foot on the rail she swung the grapple in low circles, picking up speed quickly. Her target in sight she let the grapple fly, it soared through the air and wrapped itself around the enemy ships rigging.

"Maka! Where are you going?" Tsubaki shouted as she materialized nearby suddenly.

Perched on the railing, rope clutched tight she tossed a glance back at her friend. "Iago's on board still!"

"How do you know?" "He's a prisoner, they wouldn't take him with them!"

"But their ships on-"

Another cannon shot ripped through the air drowning out Tsubaki's responding shout. Maka hopped up and leapt off the rail, tucking her feet in as she soared across the gap towards the opposite deck.

"Fire…" Tsubaki finished lamely as Maka swung completely out of earshot. Cursing foully and out of character she whirled with a panicked expression. Kid was raising his arm to signal another round of cannon fire.

She flung herself at him, clutching at his arm to stop him. "Hold your fire! You have to stop!" Kid's eyes widened, clearly not expecting this. "Maka's on board their ship!" His brow furrowed in concern and he signalled for the girls to hold.

"Why on earth is she there?" he asked incredulously.

"She went to rescue to alchemist. The one who saved her and Soul."

* * *

><p>Maka landed on the deck hard, tucking herself in as she tumbled forward. The boat groaned beneath, under strain from all the damage. She pulled herself up swiftly, black smoke swirled around her, clouding her vision, her lungs. She pulled her bandanna up over her mouth and nose in hopes of allowing herself to breathe better, it helped a little but not as much as she would have liked.<p>

With a cough she dropped into a crouch and made her way towards what she knew to be the infirmary and likely where Iago would be.

She did not come across any crew on her way to the infirmary, at least, not any live crew. She did pass a few limp bodies, littered throughout the rubble of the ship. Twice she had to turn back and find another way, her path blocked by flames or too much of the debris to get through.

Tears leaked steadily from her burning eyes, leaving tracks through the soot that covered her face, the smoke was thicker the closer she got the infirmary. When she eventually reached it she found the doorway was mostly blocked. A fallen guard was slumped unconscious or possibly dead next to it. With a curse she removed the bandanna from her mouth in favour of protecting her hands while she shucked the burning, fallen boards away from the door.

Freeing the doorway, she wasted no time in yanking on the handle. Despite her hand being wrapped in the bandanna she could feel herself burn. She hissed, ignoring the pain and finally flung the door open. She was met with a wall of heat that blasted outward.

It was like entering an inferno. _This must be what hell feels like. _The morbid thought crossed her mind absently. She had not believed it could get any hotter until she'd entered the room.

Peering through the quivering air she spotted a figure chained against the far wall. She did not need to look twice to know it was Iago. He hung limply, looking battered and bruised. She prayed he still lived as she made her away across the only safe path she could see.

Reaching him she immediately attempted to free him, the hot metal of the chains sizzling against her fingertips. She wiped sweat from her brow, and tried to feel a pulse. It took her longer than it should have to find it. Eventually having to close her eyes and steady herself enough to do so. It was faint, but definitely still there.

She then shook him roughly. "Iago!" she managed, her voice muffled by the bandanna she had replaced around her mouth and nose. He did not stir. Not expecting results but needing to try at least, she slapped him. Miraculously, he jerked awake. His eyes were blurred and out of focus, groggy from his unconscious state.

"Little Spark?" he managed weakly, with a cough.

"Listen to me Iago," she shouted over the crackling of the flames. All the noise of the battle raging outside did not seem to reach them in the hell of a room they resided in. "Where is the key to your chains? Do you know who has it?" He moaned something and she pitied him briefly but they didn't have time for sympathy. If he wanted to live he needed to try harder. She shook him again.

He mumbled something incoherent and she cursed. An image flashed before her eyes, the guard slumped outside the doorway. As quickly as she could manage she made her way back to the door, narrowly missing being hit by a flaming piece of timber as she went.

Stepping outside was little better than being in the room, the deck was deteriorating everywhere. She crouched next to the limp form and fumbled through his pockets, to her great relief she produced a key from them. She rose and steeled herself once more as she plunged back into the infirmary.

The boards creaked beneath her feet and the ship groaned in protest as she hurried to unlock Iago's chains. She wanted to sing with relief as the second manacle clicked open and Iago fell forward. She caught him sloppily, his unconscious weight heavy. He was useless like this and she could not get him through the room without some help.

Inspiration struck her and she dragged him to the cupboards, she flung the door open and reached inside, shoving aside the little glass bottles carelessly as she looked for what she wanted. Glass shattered onto the floor and the liquids inside the splattered against her leg.

She gave a crow of triumph when she found it. Popping the cork she lifted the bottle to Iago's lips and let some of the potion trickle down his throat. Pulling away she waited on bated breath, the room smoking and burning around her. For a moment she worried it wouldn't work, that she had wasted some of the precious substance. Then he began to splutter, his eyes snapped open.

"Little Spark." He exclaimed, his voice much more clear and sure now. She nodded with relief and jammed the cork back into the bottle before pocketing it.

"Can you walk?" she demanded. He attempted a step and almost crumpled, he managed to stay standing but she could see how difficult it was. It didn't matter, he could move enough, they didn't have any more time.

He draped an arm over her shoulder and she supported him best she could as they escaped the inferno together.

Stumbling across the deck they made their way to the rail. "You'll have to go in the water, can you swim?" she asked him. He nodded weakly. She pointed to the shore nearby. Shouts and gunfire echoed back, the fight for the little town had begun in earnest, the Demon Scythe appeared to be deserted, the Vajra left to burn away to nothing. "Head for the shore. As soon as you get there you must find a way to send a fire-letter to the Capital. They must know what's going on and come quickly." He nodded again and she helped him to swing his leg over the side.

The floorboards crackled and she felt something snap, just as she managed to push Iago over the edge. The deck crumbled beneath her, she tried to throw herself out of the way but her foot fell through. Cursing she tried to free herself. She appeared to be stuck. "Of all the bloody luck in this damned world!" she shouted furiously as she pulled with all her might. "I'm fucked!"

She had spoken too soon. A figure appeared from the smoke, the noise of metal teeth whirring reached her ears, flames licking up around them as they approached.

Giriko emerged, eyes flashing and a sick grin on his face. Maka's eyes widened, panic clawing at her heart.

"_Now_ I'm fucked," she corrected.

* * *

><p><strong>Hooray for cliffhangers! Haha, this is not so evil though since I'm posting the continuation immediately. :)<strong>

**Don't hate me for making you all wait D:**

**-Song**


	16. Chapter 16

**And here we have the immediate continuation!**

__**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

* * *

><p><em><span>Sixteen:<span>_

It was absolute chaos. Building's were burning, people were yelling and screaming with both pain and fear. The sound of metal on metal and gunfire echoed into the night. He had ordered his crew to head for land, abandon their attack on Asura's ship as they had done enough. The ship was done for. There was no chance of him making an escape out to sea now.

Villagers ran past screaming, members of Asura's attacking crew giving chase. Soul leapt in front of them, blade swinging, the first was caught off guard and cut down swiftly. The second had time to see his companion fall and bellowed with rage as he swung his own blade in retaliation.

Soul had no time to glance in the direction of the villagers, he could only hope they had escaped or if they had not, that they were not anybody important to Maka. He started a little, his movements as he fought continued mechanically though.

What a funny thought to have, he told himself. He dodged a swipe from his attacker's blade and brought his own blade up to block sharply. It shouldn't matter to him if they were important to Maka or not. He was a pirate. He was here for revenge, not to protect or save. They had only come all this way to wreak revenge on Asura and foil his plans.

He kicked the burly pirate in the teeth as he dropped and the man fell back. Before he had a chance to catch his breath another rose up from seemingly nowhere. These battle's were meaningless, all that mattered was seeking out Asura and taking his life.

He did not have to spare a thought as he parried and blocked, he would survive these fights as he had to face Asura. At some point during this god forsaken night he would reach Asura and kill him. The more he repeated this to himself the more he believed it to be true. The man he had once considered a friend would not best him this time.

As he struck down his fourth attacker he came upon Kid; Liz and Patti were nearby as well. The three were well-oiled machines. Working in unison, without stopping. Soul had to admire the way they worked together. A wiry and gruesome looking man crouched around a corner caught his eye. He had a rifle cocked, aiming at the back of Patti's head.

Soul ghosted up behind him, producing a knife from his belt he drew it across the man's throat. The man collapsed without a word, his rifle clattering onto the ground.

A tiny whimper came from nearby in response to the anonymous pirate's fall.

Curious, he turned and peered into the space between two houses. A little girl was crouched fearfully, dark hair drawn into twin tails, wide eyes shining out of the shadowy corner she'd found. Soul cocked his head and she whimpered again upon realizing he'd spotted her. He heard scrabbling in the dirt as she tried to push herself further back and away from him.

Something glinted in his heart like a razor. Something he could not explain. "Maka sent me." He whispered, not understanding why he said it. She stilled at the mention of Maka's name, her eyes glittering with tears. He thought he made out an imperceptible nod in the dark. "You've found a good place to hide," he grunted. "Stay there and stay silent."

The girl nodded again and Soul tore himself away. Not understanding why he had expressed any words of comfort to the girl. He was tempted to go back and frighten her, in an attempt to help remove the unsettling feeling that had come over him.

He rejoined the fray that was stretched out through the cobblestone streets. His eyes were constantly on the alert for signs of Asura. The battle was falling into his own crew's favour, Asura would emerge soon to make his escape, he was sure of it.

* * *

><p>Giriko approached her, his bone cutting blade whirring loudly, drowning out her own heavy breathing and mingling with the roaring of the flames that filled her ears. She tugged on her leg desperately, pulling at the wreckage around it keeping it trapped.<p>

Her sword was digging into her side uncomfortably and at an awkward angle. She could not draw it without slicing herself in the process. Giriko chuckled, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. He clucked his tongue. "Poor little wench, you're stuck aren't you?" he cackled with glee.

She swallowed and continued to try and free herself, not answering. He knew she was stuck, there was no need to re-iterate it. He licked his lips, his eyes raking her possessively. "I'm going to cut you up you pretty little bitch." He went to raise his blade.

"What are you even doing here?" she blurted. He paused, a grin crossing his face.

"Don't think I don't know what your doing," he laughed. "Trying to buy yourself some time?" he lowered his blade. "It doesn't matter how much we yak, even if you free yourself I'm still going to kill you." He laughed coldly again at her expression.

"I saw you," he grinned and explained. "Leaping all gallantly to your friends rescue. I was the one who found out he sent someone a message to help you. You couldn't let that debt go unpaid could ya? Too noble and honourable for that. Bloody navy." He spat. "So I made my way up here to see if you were still around. And lo and behold here you are."

The licking flames cast eerie shadows across his face. He was absolutely mad. To have risked boarding this done for ship just to kill her. She gave a final pull on a broken board and it came free, the pressure that had been holding her foot in place lifted.

Giriko rushed her, lifting his weapon for a killing blow. She pulled her foot out of the hole and threw herself out of the way. Momentum already in place Giriko could not stop in time to turn accordingly, his osteotome too bulky for such a swift moment. She rolled to her feet, her blade drawn with a whisper of steel.

He whirled and she brought her blade up to block him. She sidestepped a fallen timber and their deadly dance began. The fire raged, hot around them and sweat poured into her eyes as she parried Giriko's heavy blows. She worried her blade would not hold against the grinding metal teeth.

He was relentless, throwing himself behind each blow with all his strength, enraged by her escape and determined to take her down anyways. She whirled, reaching through his defences to strike him. Blood blossomed at his side, bright against his soiled white shirt. She panted heavily, exhausted from rescuing Iago before.

Giriko snarled at her, ignoring the cut. She ducked a savage swipe, only just missing having her head severed from her shoulders. Instead, the metal teeth ground against her back, shaving through her shirt and across her skin. She bit back a scream and twisted out of the way, he had been aiming to take off her head with a horizontal swipe so thankfully all it had done was skin her. There would be no lasting damage there.

The blood felt almost cool against her back in comparison to the heat that surrounded them.

Then the main mast snapped, coming down in a shower of red hot sparks and ashes. She leapt out of the way, not realizing the mast would crash down to block both their chances of escape. She turned, fire surrounded them on all sides, a massive wall of flame that could not be passed through without certain death.

Giriko's eyes glinted maniacally as he realized the same as she. Judging by the circumstances neither of them would live through this. For a brief moment she hoped he might have enough sense to stop their battle and work together to escape the burning ship but just a single look at his expression told her this would not happen.

He roared as he lifted his weapon high and charged her. She whipped out of the way, unprepared for the ferocity of his attack. She moved more quickly than she knew she was capable of as she retaliated. This needed to end.

She fell into a sort of daze, the flames dancing around them. Their blade's locked, she gripped her sword tightly as the metal teeth of his weapon struggled to continue their rotation. She thought of her home, under attack while she was trapped on this ship with this maniac.

A burst of adrenaline surged through her, she shoved him back with more strength than she thought she had. He staggered, surprised she had thrown him. That moment of shock was all she needed. She swept her blade down in a smooth arc, it struck his wrist, severing his hand. His blood-curdling screams rang out as his hand and weapon fell onto the smouldering deck.

Without hesitation she plunged her steel into his heart. He did not utter another sound, only fell back, the light gone from his eyes. Hardening her heart she drew the blade out of his chest and sheathed it once more. If he had been given a chance, he surely would have done her in as well. It was a small comfort, she did not relish the taking of a life no matter whose it was.

There was a creak and for a second time that night she felt something snap beneath her. The floorboards gave way beneath her as the deck finally gave out. The world of flame that had surrounded her went dark.

* * *

><p>Striking down another of Asura's crew, Soul turned when he heard a shout. In the distance, the flaming Vajra appeared to be coming down. Much of Asura's crew had fallen or were preparing to flee, Asura himself had not surfaced yet.<p>

Tsubaki appeared, apparently oblivious to a cut on her brow bleeding heavily, she held her own sword loosely at her side as she stared up at where a burst of flame exploded out of the ship. Black Star was not far behind her, supporting his arm which appeared to be broken from the bizarre angle it lay.

"Looks like the flames have reached the gunpowder stores." Black Star said with an air of one commenting on the weather. Tsubaki's eyes went wide and a strangled cry escaped her.

"Where is Maka?" A feeling of ill dread settled in the pit of his stomach. Where was Maka? He had been so occupied with the fight and finding Asura he had not even realized she was missing. He raked his mind for the last time he had seen her.

On board she ship she had been dashed forward to help him with the wheel, but she had changed course to lower the anchor when she realized she would not reach him. Since then, he had not seen her. Not even once.

The Naval doctor appeared to understand he had not seen her at once from the expression on his face. With a panicked expression she started running towards the docks. He took off after her, Black Star giving chase as well. "Tsubaki!" he shouted. "What is happening?"

Terror-stricken she shouted her response as they ran. "Maka, she, she boarded the Vajra. She said she was going to save Iago. I-oh gods. I told Kid, so he stopped firing. Maka has always been- she's always taken such good care of herself that I- I just assumed she would get away on her own. Then the fight happened and I was distracted and-" the rest of her babbling explanation was drowning out by a buzzing that had suddenly filled Soul's ears.

Maka was on board the Vajra? That burning death trap. Torn apart by cannon-balls and set aflame. What had Black Star said? … _looks like the flames have reached the gunpowder stores. _His heart might as well as stopped beating in that moment of horrible realization.

His run became a sprint, a mad dash to reach the ship. He had to reach it now, this very moment. Every other thought had left his mind. He overtook Tsubaki and Black Star, running as though his own life depended on it.

As he emerged into sight of the docks his heart leapt when he spotted Iago dragging himself forward, soaking wet. If Iago was here that meant Maka had succeeded, she must have escaped as well.

Slowing down, he scanned the docks and shore for sight of her. There was nobody though, nobody but Iago. A resounding crash shattered the buzzing in his ears for a moment. Upon reaching Iago he did not even register speaking to him though apparently he had. She was still on board, she had not followed the alchemist like she said she would.

Why was his heart pounding in his ears like this? Why did the thought of her in danger fill him with such dread? Then it happened. Something broke. The upper decks of the ship exploded outward into the night with a roar of flame and debris.

He heard a shriek from somewhere behind him, high-pitched and drawn out. Full of grief. Tsubaki. She was screaming, shouting for Maka. Black Star was holding her, he could see them in his minds eye. He did not have to look back at them to know what they were doing. The doctor was struggling, trying to get away, to run to the ship.

Then, once again he was running. The air was full of ash, raining down around them like filthy snow. He could hear Tsubaki still screaming for Maka, over and over. Black Star was shouting for him though, to come back. He ignored his companion.

Nothing around him mattered anymore, she was not dead. She could not be dead. That infuriating, resilient woman wasn't dead. She could not be dead because he was going to kill her for worrying him like this, for making Tsubaki cry like that. This was all wrong, he did not feel her to be dead. He couldn't explain why but he felt like a part of him would have known the moment she was.

Another part of the ship exploded, more debris scattering up into the air, mingling with the rain of ashes. Red hot cherries floated down around him on the breeze as he reached the water. He stood still, staring hard at the water, hoping against all hopes she would emerge.

Something was stirring where the ship met the water. A splash, water sprayed upward. The sound of someone spluttering and kicking their way forward. He sloshed a few steps forward to get a better look. The ship crumpled in half with a mighty groan and a crash of waves. It was beginning its descent into the bottom of the sea behind the form swimming in the water.

Then she stood up, coughing, wiping soot and water from her face as she struggled her way up onto the shore. He wanted to yell at her for being an idiot. For not telling him where she was going, for not asking for help. To yell at her for distracting him from his mission to find Asura. Asura who could be gone now for all he knew.

She approached him looking weary, she gave him a crooked smile. Oblivious to the emotional turmoil she had just caused both him and Tsubaki. Her brow furrowed as she caught sight of Tsubaki who was now crying for joy into Black Star's arms.

He pulled her to him sharply, she only had time to give a small gasp before he was kissing her furiously. She tasted like ashes, like smoke and fire. And she responded to him in kind, though whether it was by instinct of simply because she had the same irrepressible feelings he did in that moment he didn't know. He felt like he was burning, like she was filling him up with flames, burning him from the inside out.

They broke apart for air, he gazed down at her. Her eyes were glazed over, a dazed expression upon her face, lips still parted slightly. He had a mad urge to kiss her again.

"How _touching_," they jumped away from each other in alarm. His stomach dropped out from under him. Asura stood a ways away from them. He held a man in front of him, a pistol pressed into his gut. The man was older, grey-haired and wizened. He looked strained but not terrified as one would expect him to be in that situation.

* * *

><p>Maka stiffened at the sight before her, jerking out of her overwhelmed state. Every part of her ached, she just wanted to close her eyes and have this whole nightmare of an evening just disappear. Though it would not and could not.<p>

The sight of Grandpa held at gunpoint had rushed over her like a pail of icy-cold water. It had wakened her from the daze Soul's unexpected, furious kiss had caused. All her worries for the village and its residents came rushing back to her, along with unwanted concerns for the Demon Scythe's crew. Those thoughts had driven her to escape the burning ship, to survive despite the odds.

When the deck had given out beneath her she had thought it was certainly the end. The world had gone dark as she was abruptly dropped beneath the deck and into the blackened pit of the ship. Admittedly, the flames were roaring in the lower decks too but not as wildly as they had been above.

For a moment she had laid at the bottom of the ship, groggy, soaked and aching. It took her time to move, to try and find a way out. The entire bottom of the ship was full of water and filling faster. Then something had exploded above her, she had known it was an explosion from the sheer magnitude of the sound and the way it made the ship rock. Beams had tumbled down from overheard with piles of charred wood and ashes.

The water filled so abruptly it was only moments before she could not stand. Treading water she had felt herself rising with the waterline. Immediately she began to swim around, feeling the walls for means of escape.

Fire above, water below. She had believed for a brief moment she was destined to burn or drown. That was when she had felt the current, tugging at her leg. A hole in the ship's hull, helping to fill her so quickly.

Filling her lungs with a mouthful of air she ducked underneath the water. Underneath had been eerie. The dark, murky waters that filled the ship had been full of all kinds of things. Broken pieces of the ship, cups and plates, clothes. Bits and pieces.

It took only a moment to spot it. She swam towards it, she had felt as though time had stopped while she made her way to the hole.

For a moment as she passed through it she'd worried that she wouldn't fit. She had struggled for a minute, panic welling inside her for the flash of a second when she thought she was stuck. Then she had shot through the hole and into the sea.

And now she was here. Standing in the shallows beside the pirate she could not decide how she felt about and in front of the pirate she loathed. Asura had started this attack on her home and now he threatened the life of the man who had been a staple of her childhood. 'Grandpa' as everyone was so fond of calling him, had looked after the children in the village since she was little.

She glared at him. His dark hair whipped around his face in the wind, revealing his tattooed third eye. He smiled, softly, manically.

"Bloody coward." She heard Soul mutter beside her. He took a step forward and Asura jammed the pistol into the older man's gut more sharply in response. "Why don't you quit hiding behind the old one and fight me proper?" Soul was blazing. She had never seen him this way. He took another step forward when Asura's grin widened. Again he jabbed the barrel of the gun in, more forcefully this time.

Maka reached to catch Soul's arm, to hold him back. Her fingertips caught his rough hewn sleeve but Soul wrenched himself from her grasp. Her brow furrowed.

"Soul," she said sharply. Black Star and Tsubaki were nearby still, clutching one another and watching the exchange wide-eyed. Soul ignored her.

"Best watch yourself Soul Eater, the man dies if you come too close." Asura warned in a low voice. Soul's lip curled scornfully.

"You think I care for some random old man? All I want is your death." Asura barked a laugh.

"I had thought you'd gone soft. Travelling with the Naval Captain there." He nodded in Maka's direction. "Thought perhaps you were considering serving in the royal highness' navy." His tone indicated what he thought of that. Soul laughed contemptuously and Maka felt her blood boil. Why had she questioned how she felt about this pirate bastard for even a moment?

"Cast aside the old fool and fight me Asura. We are long overdue for this." Asura cocked his head thoughtfully, eyes shining in the moonlight, the fires of the ship still slowly burning away behind them reflected back. With a slight smile, his eyes turned to Maka. Their gazes locked.

She could almost see his mind work, know his thought process without knowing. This was why she had begun to shout before it happened. "Asura, you bastard, n-"

The pistol cracked and Grandpa cried out in pain. "No!" Maka screamed, rushing forward. Asura shoved the old man forward and onto the ground. With a cruel laugh he whirled and darted off between the shadows of the houses.

"Catch me if you can Soul Eater!"

Soul was off like a shot, not even sparing a glance to Maka and the older man.

She fell to her knees beside him. Tears already welling in her eyes. A crimson stain was creeping across his shirt, darkening the blue woven fabric. He was so incredibly pale, and he was shaking. Whispering denials she struggled to move his clothing to tend to his wound. She tore at her shirt, removing a piece to press tightly against the wound to staunch the blood flow. It did nothing. Blood bubbled out from beneath the cloth and coated her fingertips.

"Tsubaki please!" Maka begged. Her friend was already beside her though, trying to ease her away so she could examine him. Realizing this Maka relinquished her hold, Tsubaki reached out and pulled back the wad of fabric to check the wound. From the expression on Tsubaki's face Maka knew things were good.

"Its struck an artery, I don't have my kit," her words were quiet, no more than a breath. Maka's stomach dropped.

"Can't we…do…something?"

"He wouldn't make it back to the ship in time. He'll-" she stumbled over her words for a moment. "He'll bleed out before we make it."

Horrified, Maka drew close again, cradling him in her arms and cursing to high heaven. She touched his face lightly, his eyes fluttered open and he coughed a little. With blood-flecked lips he spoke to her. "Little Maka, you've returned home. Though I am sorry you had to come home to this." The tears that had welled up spilled down her grimy cheeks.

"I-I tried so hard to save you all." She whispered. She shifted, uncomfortably aware of the bulge in her pocket. She reached out to touch his cheek and then started in realization.

The bulge in her pocket. The potion. She gave a strangled gasp, fumbling to get into her pocket and remove the little bottle. Tsubaki hovered nearby nervously, Black Star had wandered off she had no idea where. "Wait," she managed. She held out the little bottle excitedly. "This-this will heal you!" Her eyes met Iago's where he stood nearby. The alchemist nodded, wordlessly letting her know he was alright with her using it. She went to pull the cork out of its top with her teeth but Grandpa reached up and caught her wrist weakly.

"No," he murmured. "If that little bottle really has a miracle in it, save it for someone with a longer life ahead of them." Maka shook her head, lip trembling. "I'm old Maka, I haven't got long for this world anyways. Don't blame yourself."

She could no longer hold back her sob, it escaped her loudly. For a few more moments he continued breathing, struggling through his last breaths. And then his breath rattled in his chest before leaving him entirely. He stiffened for a moment and then he went limp. Maka let a pained noise free while clutching him against her.

Her shoulders shook with grief and her mind raced. Dead. He was dead. And it was her fault. No. It was Asura's fault. And Soul's. She laid him down gently and stood. She would kill them both.

With an angry, hard heart she turned darted off down the streets, ignoring Tsubaki's cries behind her.

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><p><strong>Shouldn't be too long for the next one here. I already have a fair chunk done. Maybe tonight but don't hold me to it. If not, I am going to try to get it up this weekend here. Its going to be tricky though as I am pretty busy. <strong>

**I know I have been the worst update-er ever. I would really appreciate reviews still though :)**

**-Song**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello!**

**Thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed and followed! It means a lot to me! **

**I won't ramble on like I usually do!**

**Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER!**

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><p><em><span>Seventeen:<span>_

A shadowed form whipped around another corner. Soul gave chase, feet pounding on the pavement and his heart beat pounding in his ears. Asura could not escape, not again. His mocking laughter echoed off the walls in the alleyways.

They passed a few small fights, all seemed to be coming to a close though. Soul did not spare a glance at the faces of the fallen or defeated. He could not allow the pain of a fallen comrade distract him from the task at hand. He had to snuff Asura out, make this whole night worth something.

_Maka _his chest tightened and it became hard to breathe for a moment. He cast any thoughts of her away. Maka was a subject he could not even begin to tackle now.

Soul turned a corner just in time to watch the nearby hedge rustle. He pressed on through it after him.

He burst out into small square formed behind a grouping of the backs of some houses. It was completely silent and seemingly empty, only a single tree in the center of the stone square. The only light came from the smoke shadowed moon suspended above him on a string of cloud covered stars.

The Captain of the Demon Scythe drew his cutlass, holding it ready. He listened carefully, searching for a sign of another's presence in the little courtyard.

A massive form collided into him, knocking him off his feet. He struggled to push back but only found himself skidding along the ground, scraping his left side painfully and tearing his skin and clothes.

He grappled with the dark figure, trying to get his eyes to adjust properly and see his attacker. Asura's eyes glinted from beneath his mop of dark hair, a knife flashed and Soul twisted out of the way, the sound of the metal scraping the cobblestones screeched painfully. Soul managed to slam his foot into Asura's gut, heaving him off and onto the ground.

He rolled over and up onto his feet, grasping his cutlass as he went. Asura scrambled up as well. Both stood a few paces from one another, blade's ready.

"Come on then Soul Eater," Asura sneered. "You have me now, just as you've wanted all this time. Will you let me get away again?" Soul shook his head.

"Not this time Asura. We will not meet again in this world."

He launched himself forward, clashing with his opponent. They twisted around one another, blocking and parrying. Soul's blade was an extension of himself, he moved fluidly as he calmly attacked.

Asura whirled, swiping his blade across Soul's arm in a spray of blood and flash of metal. A shallow cut. Unimportant, superficial. Before Asura could land another hit Soul brought his weapon up to block.

They locked for a moment, snarling at one another.

"Perhaps we'll meet again in hell Soul Eater? What a charming reunion it will be."

"There are special pits in hell dedicated to one such as you Asura. I am sure even there we won't meet again," Soul spat.

They pushed off one another and Soul twisted gracefully, jabbing his enemy sharply in the gut. A crimson stain blossomed as he pulled away and Asura winced but did not miss a step as he brought his own sword up to block another blow.

They battled around the square. The only sounds coming from their panting grunts and their blades smashing against one another. They were well matched, Soul had already known this though. The two of them had sparred many times all those years ago when they had been partners and on the same side.

Wrenching his blade, Soul pushed Asura's own sword out of a defensive position. He struck him in the gut with a swift uppercut, winding him as he held off his sword from swooping down to block again.

Asura gasped and whipped his arm down. They crunched through someone's back garden. Heaving Soul way from him, Asura threw him against the back wall of one of the houses. Soul fumbled with his sword for a moment, losing his grip with the unexpected throw back. It was all Asura needed. He ran him through, aiming for his former Captain's heart.

Soul moved at the last possible second, the blade slicing into his upper shoulder instead of into his heart. He heard the thud of it jamming into wall behind him. His eyes watered but it was only a reflex, the adrenaline that pumped through him masked the true pain of it. Asura cursed under his breath, yanking on the sword to pull it back and try again.

With all his strength Soul gripped the sword that penetrated his shoulder, ignoring its bite into his hand he lifted himself up a little to slam his heels into Asura's gut with all his strength, throwing him back. Soul dropped back onto the group disregarding the stabs of agony that shot through him.

He pulled the sword from his shoulder with a shout of anguish but remained on his feet.

He stooped down to pick up his own weapon. Asura, now unarmed, was trying to rise again. Soul felt a thick warmth cascading down his front and back where Asura had pierced him. With a small cough he glared down at Asura's form. Asura peered up at him, his gaze ever hateful. There was no pleading in his glance. He would not beg for his life. Soul had imagined this moment countless times during his quest for revenge and even the Asura of his imagination never cried or cowered. It was not his style.

Soul tossed Asura's blade away behind him then raised his own above his head. Asura laughed and laid back, his eyes cold and empty. "Goodbye Soul Eater."

He slammed the sword down. Asura went still, his laughter dying on his lips.

Soul did not know whether to weep or laugh at such an ending. He collapsed before his fallen enemy and reached up to touch his mangled shoulder delicately. The pain of it creeping up into awareness now that the last adrenaline filled moments had passed.

Panting heavily he assessed himself for further damaged. The deep cut in his palms would be troublesome. Those and the hole in his shoulder were worrying, the rest of his injuries were superficial.

He closed his eyes. Wondering if he had any more strength left to move. Echoing footsteps alerted him to a new presence. He already suspected who it was and was ready for it.

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><p>Maka shoved through the hedge, emerging into the stone square. They were behind little Meme's house who lived next to the general store and blacksmiths. The fourth house had been unoccupied for several years now.<p>

The scene in the moonlit square was not difficult to understand. There had been a fight. And only one of the two fighters had survived. She felt a rush of relief that the one who had lived was Soul. She crushed the feeling immediately. She had come here to punish him. To punish them both. Asura was dead, all that meant was one less bastard to end.

His pale hair was silver in the starlight. He turned to look at her, his expression unreadable and then suddenly blank. He stood slowly, clutching his upper arm. His front was soaked red.

She strode towards him purposefully. Trying to communicate all her feelings of anger and betrayal with her smouldering glance. He appeared to be unarmed. A bloodied sword glinting on the stones behind him and another sticking up out of Asura's prone form.

With a sharp intake of breath as she reached him she drew her knife, lifting it to his throat. He raised his chin a little, holding himself incredibly still. His eyes were on her. Glittering like a set of precious stones they remained trained on her, studying her silently.

They stood like this for a few moments. Utterly silent and still. Maka's breath came in short pants as if she were running a marathon. Soul hardly seemed to breathe at all.

"I would not blame you if you did it." Soul finally said. His voice gruff. His face was pale. She let out a choked sound, her hand trembling.

"Why," she whispered, that one word was loaded with such a collection of meanings. She chose the one that was most pressing for her, "Why did you provoke him like that. We might have talked him out of it. We might have saved him. All you had to do was wait. And now he's…he's dead." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She knew even as she spoke them that in her heart she didn't truly believe them.

"Asura was a madman." Soul whispered. "It didn't matter what we did he would have killed him just to see the look on your face as he did it." He swallowed visibly and shuddered, his form swaying as he struggled to remain on his feet. "A part of me hoped if Asura thought I didn't care he would have let the old man go-"

"But you didn't care!" Maka interrupted sharply, accusingly. Trying to latch onto something the rekindle her anger at him.

"No I didn't. Not about the old man. I didn't know him. I didn't care about him. I cared about what his death would mean to you."

Her breath hitched and she tore her gaze away from him. She did not think her heart had ever thundered so loudly in her breast as it did then. She worried Soul could hear it too.

"You didn't care even though he was just an innocent-"

"He meant nothing to me." Soul interrupted. "But I know he meant something to you. And I will understand if you want to kill me for it. I as good as shot him myself."

There was a tense moment. The finality in his tone was palpable. He would not discuss what had happened any further. If she was going to kill him she should do it now and get it over with. With a shaking hand Maka closed her eyes and lowered the blade.

"No," she said softly. "You didn't kill him. Asura did." She could not expect him to care for a man he had never known. Would she had felt the same in his position? Why did she believe him? She couldn't answer these questions herself and therefore couldn't justify her attempt at revenge or justice. Whatever she would have labelled it,

"I am not a good man Maka," Soul murmured. She shook her head, eyes still closed, the image of her anger dissipating.

"Clearly I am no better." She whispered. "I'm sorry. I directed my anger at the wrong person. Asura is dead. It's finished."

She opened her eyes to look at him again. To apologize once more. Soul swayed dangerously, his eyes slipping shut. She cried out in alarm as he slumped forward towards her. The knife she had held so tightly in her hand clattered onto the ground and she caught him lightly.

Unable to hold his heavy weight she sunk to her knees, gripping him tightly. "Soul?" panic creeping into her tone. He did not respond. "Soul!" She shook him. Still he remained limp and heavy across her lap. _If that little bottle really has a miracle in it, save it for someone with a longer life ahead of them. _"You have to hang on!" She demanded, shifting to reach into her pocket for a second time that night. She removed the bottle and uncorked it with her teeth. Placing it carefully beside her she tore his shirt open. It was easy enough, already being well-worn and threadbare.

His wound was laid bare before her she picked up the little bottle again and poured a few drops of the potion onto his chest. It worked its magic quickly, what little blood it could managed to hold onto sucks back into his chest and the flesh sealed itself once more seamlessly. He remained still for a moment and then his eyes opened slowly.

He reached up to feel where the wound had been. Prodding it carefully almost in disbelief. "How?" he muttered in confusion. She held up the little bottle for him to see with a tentative smile.

"I-I took it from the Vajra when I went after Iago."

"I never thought I could be so bloody grateful for your constant presence," he said with a sigh. She furrowed her brow and dumped him from her lap unceremoniously.

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><p>Upon healing Soul's hands with the magic little elixir they made there way out of the small courtyard and into the village proper. It seemed almost abandoned as they wandered through it in search of others. Then a cry rang out.<p>

"I've found him! Apprehend the Soul Eater! He's got some pirate wench with him, take them down!"

A weighted net fell down on top of them. Maka yelped in surprise and Soul made to shout out as well. Peering between the holds in the net Maka struggled to see who was trying to capture them. "Keep them held down boys, don't let them escape now."

"Yumi!" Maka cried out, recognizing the voice calling out orders. "Yumi its me Maka!"

"Captain Albarn?" The voice replied, sounding unsure.

"Yes! Its me!" The voice stepped forward. Yumi emerged into the light. Her severe appearance the same as the last time Maka had seen her. Yumi was a Commodore though many said she was on the pinnacle of being promoted.

Upon Yumi inspecting Maka's bedraggled appearance she sounded the order to set her free. They removed the net but rather than freeing the both of them, two large men wrestled Soul to the ground. The click of chains sounding out over the chatter that hung in the evening air.

"Commodore Azusa." Maka pleaded. "You have the wrong man." Yumi surveyed her with a sharp, speculative gaze.

"You are telling me this is not the infamous pirate Soul Eater?" Maka sighed.

"No but-"

"Then we do not have the wrong man. He is wanted for a long list of offences by his majesty's navy and therefore will be apprehended and brought before the high council for trial." Her brow furrowed as she inspected Maka further. "I am surprised that you would leap to his defence." Maka's lips parted slightly, though she did not speak. She couldn't even begin to explain why.

Yumi turned away and Maka realized that there were a few of Asura's crew chained as well but the rest of the Demon Scythe's crew didn't appear to have been caught. Soul was being dragged away and Maka stood helplessly by. What could she do? There were too many and by all rights of the law they were correct in arresting him.

Maka caught sight of Iago speaking with a Naval officer, somehow he had escaped being chained it seemed. He caught her eye across the road with a grimace. She recalled speaking to him before she had thrown him from the Vajra and into the water. She had told him to send a fire letter to the capital. Suddenly things were making sense. His letter was what had brought Yumi here and why he was given a chance to explain his presence and be spared the chains.

Upon issuing further orders to some of her subordinates Yumi turned back to Maka. "I don't know what happened here but I certainly hope you will be able to fill me in. The townsfolk have been useless for information." She paused and cocked her head at the younger woman as though giving her second thought.

"We all thought you were dead Captain Albarn. It is good to see you've survived whatever trials you had to face." She examined a piece of parchment and ordered her runner off on some errand. "I would suggest you get some rest Captain, we leave in the morning for the capital. On the way there I would like you to fill me in on this nights events."

Her mind racing, Maka followed her commanding officers instruction.

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><p>The crew that had found them had arrived by ship, they had sailed up the coast and to the village. Thankfully Yumi's ship the <em>Silver Arrow <em>had already been out to sea and had managed to arrive in a few hours. Normally the trip from the Shibusen Naval base to the village by the sea took a day and a half.

During their return to the base Yumi grilled Maka on what had happened and all the events that had led up to the attack on the village. Exhausted, Maka answered Yumi's questions to the best of her ability, skimming over bits and details she deemed unfit for the Commodore to know.

Yumi was convinced Maka knew where the Demon Scythe and crew had went, that she was withholding that information. But that was one piece of knowledge she was not holding out on. Maka honestly had no idea where the ship and crew had gone.

They arrived at the Naval base a day and a half later. A massive sea wall lined the cliffs and coastline, the main barracks and fortress perched high and foreboding. Several other ships were anchored at the docks, all gleaming in the early afternoon light. A bustle of activity in the shipyard.

Upon exiting the ship Maka found herself swept away in the overwhelming return to the base. She caught sight of a flash of white hair in the crowd of guards escorting Soul and she struggled forward trying to reach him. To let him see her, know that she's still around and she hasn't forgotten him.

Before she can reach him though the crowds filling the docks the people close around her and he is out of sight and reach. Her heart constricts inside her chest, only the knowledge that he has to wait for trial before being sentenced gives her any comfort.

She makes her way out of the shipyard with a heavy heart. She would have thought returning to the naval base would have filled her with relief. This was her goal all along wasn't it? To reach the naval base and get away from the pirates. To notify the admiral of the plotting of some of his supposedly loyal officers. All she can think about now though is Soul and the impending trial.

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><p>Her footsteps echo off the marble floors as she makes her way through the Admiral's manor house. Finally after three days of waiting in the barracks they called on her to stand before the council.<p>

She had pleaded with Yumi to get her the chance to testify. A part of her was so sure she could convince the council to be lenient with Soul's punishment if she only had the chance to tell them how good he was. There was a small part though that feared whatever she said would not be enough.

The Admiral's manor house was located upon a grassy hill a little ways inland, just inside the base. It had been built there a few years ago upon the Admiral's instruction. He did not want to be away from the barracks and out of the bases sight. He was a bit of a workaholic even in his advancing age.

Reaching the large set of double doors that mark the entrance to the council room Maka paused to take a deep breath. She smoothed down her uniform, it had been brought to her room in the barracks. A formal uniform in blue and white, her chest decorated in the several glittering medal's of valour she had already earned. Her hair was pulled back in a clean, sleek, knot, she was every inch the professional she had been before the whole business with the pirates had began.

A small part of her wished she had someone with her. She was feeling especially alone since the return to the base. The other's looked at her with wary eyes, they had believed her dead only to hear she had been running with pirates for months now. The rumours spread like wildfire.

With a deep breath she pushed open the door and entered the room.

It was a wide room with high, arched ceiling's. Every sound in the room was amplified and echoed back, even the softest of whispers. In the middle of the room was a long, gleaming table made from a freshly polished dark wood. Seated behind the table all along one side was the high council.

The council consisted of the highest ranking Naval officers, the Admiral of course and the Governor. Maka approached the table purposefully, trying to seem confident and unafraid. She had good practice and was sure that she pulled it off well.

She bowed slightly once she stopped.

"Captain Maka Albarn," a voice spoke out. Her eyes fell on the speaker, the Admiral himself. A stern looking man, with a strong, square jaw lined with snow white hair. His hair on his head was white too. Thick and lush for one such as his age, he drew it back into a low tail at the base of his neck. The Admiral's eyes were a brilliant grey blue and their piercing gaze was on her now.

He shuffled some papers in front of him, taking his eyes off of her to observe them through the thin silver framed glasses on the edge of his nose. "Commodore Azusa had indicated to me you have some grave accusations to make against some of your fellow officer's. Mainly against Commodore Justin Law and sailor Samuel Ashford."

Maka nodded slightly. "My Lord's, I only limit my accusations due to lack of knowledge for who else is involved. Though I do not doubt there are many others." The table of officer's whispered amongst themselves. "I am aware how severe what I have said seems but I guarantee you that upon further investigation you will see their truth." She took a breath to calm herself.

"I myself bore witness to the Commodore's interactions with the pirates and overheard his connections to the pirate Captain Asura." The murmur's increased and one thin, elderly looking man called out.

"But you yourself have admitted to fraternizing with pirates Captain Albarn."

Maka bowed her head in an air of repentance, she lifted her gaze to the council. "I did what I had to to survive my Lords. Had I not joined with the pirates I would be dead. Master Ashford was involved in a plot that placed myself and my crew in the line of fire. We would all have died had the pirates not shown us mercy. I was supposed to die."

"But you lived." The Admiral said softly. Maka nodded. "I would hear your story from your own lips. From start to finish please." She nodded again and began to spin her tale.

The room was quiet for a beat when she finished speaking. It then erupted into whispers that bounced off the high ceilings, too many at once to distinguish what any were saying. The Admiral nodded his head in her direction after a brief murmured conversation with the Governor.

"We will take your information into consideration Captain Albarn, you are dismissed."

The council began speaking amongst themselves again. Maka did not move though. She stood firmly in place. That could not be it. They had not even asked her about Soul. They hadn't even mentioned him or his trial. After a few moments the Governor seemed to be the first one to notice she had not left.

"I believe you were dismissed Captain." Maka bowed a little trying to seem somewhat respectful despite her disobedience.

"I apologize my Lord Governor. But I had hoped that I would have a chance to testify on the Soul Eater's behalf." He rose and eyebrow delicately and the Admiral frowned.

"The Pirate Captain Soul Eater has been sentenced to hang. The council ruled this decision already."

Her stomach dropped and she knew her expression had given away her shock at this abrupt announcement of their decision. She tried to arrange her features into a more emotionless expression quickly. She frowned.

"My Lords, if I might- speak freely?" she asked. The Admiral looked amused though the Governor appeared unimpressed. Despite the clear disapproval of her behaviour she was granted the opportunity to speak.

"I had believed there would be a chance for me to speak for him. Were it not for his…mercy, I would be dead countless times over. I only survived to stand before you and provide you this information on the secret dealings going on behind your backs, because of him. I know he is a pirate, I don't forget it. But I think this navy owes him something. My home village would only be a smouldering pile of ash had he not sailed to its rescue."

"He is wanted for countless crimes. Piracy, murder, theft, fraud,…these are only a few of his crimes. We cannot forgive him for a few good deeds." The Governor scoffed. Maka barely managed to contain her outrage.

"Forgive me my Lord but he had done more than a few good deeds. I believe it would be prudent to grant him mercy. I understand he is a criminal, could he not be sentenced to a punishment where he does not lose his life at the very least?" She could already see the council was not fond of this thought. One of them cleared their throat to gain attention.

"The Pirate Soul Eater is infamous. He has been a stain on our Navies reputation for years. It would look poorly on us to let him live after so long. The people would not have it. They would rebel." Her temper flared, her ability to keep it in check waning.

"So a man, good but flawed should be hung simply because the people would not be happy with it any other way?"

"Remember who you are talking to Captain," one of the members warned her sharply. Perhaps her tone had grown a little too disrespectful for their taste.

"Mercy," Maka said quietly. "All I ask is you find it in your hearts to be merciful."

"Hanging is a mercy, there are worse ways to die, Captain." The Governor answered. Her jaw tightened, realizing she was fighting a losing battle. "You are dismissed Captain Albarn." Trying to withhold the hostility she was feeling she turned sharply and exited in the room.

Upon exiting the room she began to make her way back down the wide marble halls of the Admiral's manor house. She was trembling with suppressed feeling. She was angry, frustrated and above all afraid. She was now terrified for Soul and his impending hanging. She felt physically sick at the thought.

He had done so much, though he had specifically told her it was not for her benefit all of his many deeds had indeed been to her benefit. Every word she had spoken before the council was true despite them not being able to accept them as such.

She paused, ducking around a corner to clutch her chest as an overwhelming panic threatened to overtake her. Leaning against the wall she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

"_Meow." _Startled, her eyes flew open. She cast about for where the sound had come from. Sliding down to her feet the cat came into sight. Purple furred and conspicuous in the hallway Blair gazed up at her with doleful eyes.

The cat saw her recognition an immediately whisked off around the corner. With a gasp Maka scrambled to follow.

Dashing as quietly as she could she gave chase. The cat darted down the seemingly deserted halls before stopping in front of one of the doorways. Looking up at her expectantly she mewed again. Maka furrowed her brow.

"There is nobody around," she told her in irritation. "You are perfectly safe to talk." The cat shook her head and gestured to the door. Apprehensively, she approached and pushed it open. Sliding inside the room she felt Blair slip past her ankles into the space too.

To her great surprise, the one waiting in the room was her father.

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><p><strong>Will be working on the next chapter furiously! Please be patient. I know I am terrible for updating lately. I am working hard at it though. <strong>

**You are all delightful for following and reviewing. **

**-Song :3**


	18. Chapter 18

**Dun dun duuuunnn...**

**This, my friends. Is the final chapter. **

**Please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SOUL EATER**

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><p><em><span>Eighteen:<span>_

"Makaaaaaaaa," she was drawn into a bone crushing hug without much warning. She disentangled herself from her father with a grimace. His eyes shone with unshed tears and she had to suppress a groan as she smoothed her now rumpled uniform. The room was a small one, with a single wide window against one wall and shelves of books lining the other three. It appeared to be someone's study, with a desk near the window and a fireplace in one of the corners, a cushy chair in front of it.

"Papa what are you doing here?" She asked in a low voice. Maka had not seen her father in years. The last time had been at a formal occasion to celebrate the Admiral's birthday. Spirit had been invited to the Admiral's manor as had all the officer's and sailors. She had spent the evening avoiding him and hiding out with Sam in one of the many empty rooms of the manor.

Spirit flicked his flaming red hair from his eyes and gave her an unreadable expression. It was as though he were elated but also distressed. He could not seem to make up his mind how to feel. "I needed to speak with you Maka."

"We haven't spoken for years and now out of the blue you wish to talk to me?" She glowered at him. "And why the secrecy? You couldn't just come to call on me at the barracks instead of luring me here?" He frowned, now uncommonly serious.

"I had Blair bring you to me because I knew you would turn me away at the barracks if I came to call. Not to mention you have not been back very long. Blair only managed to find me a day ago and you've been back for three."

Maka turned her glare on the cat who was sitting at her fathers feet. Blair shrugged. "Blair, where is the Demon Scythe?" She asked, deciding to ignore her father. "I thought you were on board the ship." She nodded.

"I was, but I left. I had to get here."

"Do you know where the Demon Scythe is?" She titled her head.

"They were spotted nearby not more than an hour ago. The whole base has been in an uproar about it. It was a ballsy move to come so close to Shibusen. I suppose you wouldn't have heard about it being in your meeting with the council." Spirit interjected.

She turned to look out the window with a frown, chewing her lip in thought. The crew had not left which meant they were still harbouring some hope they could rescue their Captain. Though the impossibility of it was looming up behind her. They could not come to shore, they would be immediately overwhelmed and captured too.

She whirled to face her father again. "How do you know Blair?" she asked suddenly, as though this had just occurred to her. Spirit smiled a little.

"She has been working on my orders. She was told to wait for you on the Demon Scythe."

Maka's lips parted in surprised. For a moment she stood in silence. Unsure what to say about this revelation. Her father had sent Blair? He'd known about deal between the pirates and officers, known about her being sent to her death on her last mission. And he had sent… a cat?

"You knew…and all you did was send Blair?" Blair made a noise of protest for this but Spirit only grimaced.

"I couldn't do much more. Nobody would have believed me Maka…would you have even believed me?"

"Yes!" She snapped. She paused and pinched the bridge of her nose. "No." She huffed on second thought. "I wouldn't have believed you." He nodded.

"They were watching me Maka. They knew I knew and wanted to see what I would do. I couldn't act without putting you or myself in danger. So I sent Blair. Who would suspect a cat?" He smiled bitterly. "I'm just a drunken leach. Disgraced. Nobody would take me seriously if I started spouting off about officer's being traitors."

Spirit had once been in line to be promoted to an officer. After Kami was taken though he had fallen into a spiral of despair and guilt. Drinking away his sorrow and eventually losing his position with the Navy for his behaviour. He was something of a running joke now. Maka had always ignored it. It was just another reason to become the best; living up to her mother's name, outshining her father's poor reputation.

"Do you have anything that could be given as proof to the high council?" she asked him hopefully. "If you could testify too and provide them something concrete we would have them." Spirit nodded.

"I don't have much but just enough condemning evidence against some of them. The corruption runs deep though Maka. The Governor is involved." Her eyes widened. "I don't have anything on him though, he covers his tracks too well." He ruffled his hair with a sigh. "I want you to be careful. I've set for the condemning paperwork to be delivered to the Admiral tonight, once he takes action against those it proves guilty the Governor will become paranoid. He will want to remove you from sight."

"He can't do anything though. If his fellow conspirators are arrested he won't be able to make a move without drawing attention to himself." Spirit shook his head.

"He has other ways of removing those he thinks know too much, its why I've been laying low and why I won't provide the paperwork in person." He slipped into the armchair, head in his hands.

"Maka I know you hate me but I'm begging you to listen to me this once. Resign. You have to leave here. Come with me, I have somewhere we can go. I promise you I've changed." Her brow furrowed.

"I can't do that."

"Why not? I swear to you Maka I'm a changed man." She shook her head.

"It isn't that. Its…" she hesitated. Unsure how she felt about bringing up this next piece of information with him. She swallowed, her eyes trained on him and unable to move away as she spoke next, gauging his reaction. "I know where Mama is…"

The words hung suspended in the silence for a moment. His shoulders stiffened and his face contorted into a pained expression for a moment before wiping clean. Her father had always worn his heart on his sleeve. He had been easy to read since she was a child.

"I can't leave now. I have to petition for an expedition to rescue her." His shoulders slumped.

"Then I'll come with you." He told her in a resolute tone. Her heart sank.

"You can't. Its like you said. If they know you know you'll be in danger. You have to go into hiding, without me." He looked suddenly angry for a moment but it was gone as quick as it had come. The expression was replaced with one that suggested he might burst into tears at any moment.

He stood and drew her into a hug, she could feel him shaking as he pressed her head against his chest. She tried to pull away when she realized the shaking was from him crying. He held her more tightly though, a small sob escaping him.

"You are the most amazing girl in the world. I will never understand how I managed to create something so beautiful. Maka, my beautiful Maka." He wept. She sighed heavily as she felt herself flush.

"Papa, please." She mumbled in irritation as she managed to pull him off of her. She stood awkwardly for a moment as he sniffled and blew his nose into a hanky loudly.

Another thought occurred to her as her father collected himself. "They're going to hang Soul, they've sentenced him to death. I begged mercy on his behalf but they wouldn't accept it. I-I need help. How can I help him?"

He sighed, looking sad. "He's a pirate Maka, there isn't anything you can do." She felt a flash of anger. What did his being a pirate have to do with it? She glared but then wilted a little. What a hypocrite she was. She had felt the same way a year ago. She wouldn't have cared what happened to him because he was a pirate.

Now that she knew him though, respected him even. It seemed wholly unfair that nothing could be done. That it didn't matter how much she vouched for him. She grit her teeth.

"I can't just sit back and let him hang. I have to do something." Her father smiled a small, crooked smile.

"If anyone can do something about it, it would be you." He chuckled a little. "You'll have to break some rules though." She sighed.

"I've broken enough these past months, why should I stop now?"

* * *

><p>She approached Iago in the morning, she found him in the training yard throwing knives at targets. A massive crowed surrounded him, all cheering him on. It appeared Iago had a hidden skill for knives. He could strike a target's center with his eyes closed.<p>

A cheer went up as he split an apple perched on a panicking sailor's head. Clutching his heart the sailor dropped to his knees, two halves of the apple on the ground beside him and the knife quivering in the wall behind. Maka paused to clap as well, catching Iago's eye. He flashed her his brilliantly white smile before politely excusing himself from the crowd.

"I didn't realize you were so skilled," she commented as they fell into step with one another, heading in the direction of the armoury. Iago had to return the knives he had borrowed to practice with. He grinned sheepishly.

"Just so, Iago has a few skills he must hold onto now and again." Upon reaching the armoury Maka slid inside after him. Iago went about putting the knives back as Maka leaned herself up against the wall.

"I need your help." She said softly, she figured dancing around the issue would get her nowhere. Iago nodded, not seeming surprised.

"Iago knows little Spark, though truly it is the red-eyed one needing help, yes?" She nodded slightly in response. "Just so," he smiled. "You risked your own life to save mine, Iago Vidal Baldemero the Fourth owes you an eternal debt for your courage."

"You owe me nothing. I was only repaying my own debt to you in kind."

"Dear little spark, all I did was write some words on a paper, and with selfish motives I might add. I had hoped you would rescue me in turn. You had no motive other than the bravery and kindness of your heart." He touched her chest softly. Maka opened her mouth to speak again but the alchemist hushed her while pressing a finger to her lips. "All debts aside, Iago will help you. As a friend with no other motive than the joy that comes with helping a friend."

The pressure on her chest lifted. This would make things so much easier. She didn't even have much to ask of him. Just a few small things. They had to work quickly, Soul's hanging was only a day away now.

"First, I need you to send this letter." She handed him the small rolled up parchment. Iago touched it to his lips before flourishing his hands and tossing powder in the air that caught fire, enveloping the scroll then disappearing.

"Done." She smiled tremulously, one step complete and no way for anybody to know it had happened. A small success, but a step in the right direction. "Next?" he asked her.

She reached into her pocket and produced a second slip of parchment. This one had two words scrawled across it. She did not want to speak it out loud, in case her father was right and somebody was already watching her. Meeting his black, shining eyes she saw him nod almost imperceptibly. "You can make this within a day?"

"Iago can do it in half. Once done I will deliver it to your room little spark?"

"No, I have someone who can come pick it up."

"Just so. I shall await your messenger once I finish then."

Setting the parchment aflame he turned and left the armoury. Maka remained for a moment, mentally checking off her list of things to do, then slipped out of the room herself.

* * *

><p>"Gonna hang tomorrow Soul Eater!" one of the guards taunted. Pig was what Soul liked to refer to him as. Privately of course, he wasn't stupid enough to provoke the man now. He'd prefer to go to his death looking as handsome and cool as he always did. Not covered in bruises and cuts from the beatings he could potentially take.<p>

He was sure at some point that the other guard had stated Pig's name but his mind seemed to have just banished it from memory. Pig was a more fitting name for him anyways with his upturned nose, wide nostrils and sagging jowls. The man snorted when he laughed too, to top it all off.

The second guard was quiet most of the time. Gruff when he did speak. Soul liked to refer to him as Goat. Due to his wild unruly hair that looked about the consistency of a goats fur and his heavy under bite that gave the constant impression of anger. His eyes had an odd sort of way about them where one would slide off in one direction paying no mind to where the other was looking.

Pig and Goat. His personal guards. They rarely went anywhere else. He was a little offended that the two had been assigned to him. He had hoped his reputation would have warranted more intelligent guards that were perhaps in better shape and not so dreadfully ugly.

Goat scratched his beard and mumbled something. He rarely talked so Soul always made himself pay special attention when he did just in case he said something important. One would think if a person withheld their words it would be because they treasured them and only spoke when they had something important to say.

"Looks like rain."

Soul suspected this was not the case with Goat and that perhaps, his lack of speech was just because he was not the brightest of men.

He peered out between the bars of his cell window. It did, in fact, look like rain. The sky was grey as gun metal and he could hear the rumblings of thunder in the distance. Soul stood to peer out the tiny window more closely. He clutched the bars tightly, feeling the salty breeze press against his fingertips tentatively. Boosting himself up a little on the wall he saw the waves were choppy. No ships.

About a day and a half before he had been pleasantly informed by Pig that his ship had been spotted off the mainland. His captor had proceeded to inform him that it wouldn't be long before the Navy had all his crew to hang as well as he 'filthy' pirate ship to burn.

The information about the ship had both delighted and angered him. Delight that his crew had not forgotten him and anger that they would be foolish enough to get themselves seen. The whole base would be on high alert now. Not to mention he would kill them himself if they managed to get themselves caught and sentenced to hang as well.

There was a clamour outside as Pig and Goat's lunch was delivered. Soul waited patiently for them to shove his own bowl of lumpy grey gruel and stale bread through a small hole in the bottom of the bars. He scarfed it down hungrily, wondering if it would be his last meal. With a sigh he leaned up against the wall on the dirty pallet of straw and closed his eyes. Miraculously, he managed to sleep.

He woke to darkness. Night had stolen up on them quickly and he felt a brief moment of panic, wondering if he had slept away his last few hours. The mocking jeers he knew would come from Pig did not follow though.

The two guards were seated outside his door still, chatting quietly. Well, Pig was chatting, Goat was grunting. The soft glow of their lamplight touched a portion of Soul's cell and he longed for a moment to get closer to it. Every one of his extremities felt like they were encased in ice. He tried to move them to regain some feeling.

As he rubbed the frozen tip of his nose the clatter of the tower door opening caught his attention. He crawled forward to peer down the short hallway to the door, forgetting whenever he neared the bars what would happen.

Stars exploded behind his eyes as Pig reached through the bars to clobber him over the head. Soul hissed and sat back, clutching his skull. Before all this happened though he managed to catch sight of a cloaked figured standing at the end of the hall, a basket clutched in hand.

"That's enough of that," the hooded figure chastised. Pig sniffed haughtily.

"Just givin' the pirate bastard what's been comin' to 'im." Goat brandished his bayonet in the figure's direction.

"Who goes?" he growled.

They paused, standing still for a beat and then pulling down their hood. Still Soul could not see the newcomer's face. Not with them standing out of the light of the oil lamp and him forced to press against the wall to avoid being clocked on the head again.

"Your dinner." The voice told them crisply. That voice. Soul realized. He knew it, though could hardly believe it.

Maka strode forward purposefully, basket slung over her arm. Soul could only wonder what game she was playing. Had she come to say goodbye to him? See him one last time before his hanging in the morning? Or perhaps she had come to tell him every moment she had ever been with him had been an act and that it was all working towards the goal of capturing him.

The guards were only too fond of telling him he was a fool for trusting anyone in the Navy. Not with him being a pirate. Apparently the story of their adventures together had somehow made their way around the base, though accuracy in the tales were lacking from what he had gathered of what Pig told him.

"Captain Maka Albarn," she stated clearly, glaring at Goat. "Now would you please put that thing away Master Jacoby." Soul felt a moment of confusion when Maka referred to Goat by his real name. Goat lowered his bayonet and Maka nodded stiffly, appearing satisfied. "I was ordered to bring you both supper."

"Why you?" Pig asked suspiciously. She shrugged.

"My name was drawn for the duty. Simple enough." She glowered for a moment. "If you don't want any supper I can take it away." She turned to go.

"No, no!" Pig said hastily, Goat shook his head profusely. "We want it, we just have to ask, doing our jobs is all."

"Yes, yes," she said impatiently.

Opening the basket she produced a two soft pieces of bread, a lump of cheese and an apple a piece. Along with these she also brought out a flask of something. The sound of the liquid sloshing around inside made Soul's mouth feel even drier he was so thirsty.

Upon handing them their meal she turned and headed towards the door. She drew up her hood as she walked. She had not laid eyes on him since she entered the room and he was beginning to feel extremely confused. Why come if not for some final goodbye to him? Perhaps she had decided it would be too much for her?

She was walking awfully slowly towards the door.

_Thunk. Thump. _His eyes tore away from her to the floor in front of his case. Both of his guards were out cold on the flagstones before him. Neither moving an inch, just laying prone on the floor. His gaze flicked back up and found Maka striding towards him once more, her hood still drawn up but her face visible now with the angle she was facing.

"Are they dead?" he asked, breaking the silence. She said nothing for a moment, only shook her head and bent down to begin feeling her way through their pockets. "Pig keeps it in his left breast pocket, inside his coat." He told her helpfully. She did not need to clarify which was Pig, somehow already knowing. Removing the key she stood to unlock the door.

He clasped her wrist through the bars and she was forced to look at him. He felt as if somebody had struck him upon meeting her eyes. Her left eye was black and her nose bruised and a little bloody. In the dark of the cell tower he had not seen it at first. Now, with the moonlight coming through his cell window it was painfully obvious.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly. She shook her head and gently pulled away from his grip to finish unlocking the door. There was a small click and the door swung open easily. He stepped closer to her, reaching out to touch her face. "Who did this to you?" She smiled weakly.

"I was attacked."

"By who?" he asked sharply, feeling an anger like none he had ever known swell inside him.

"I don't know actually. It was so quick. I didn't see it coming. I fought back of course and he ended up leaving our altercation wounded as well." Ah, Maka's version of 'you should see the other guy' he wanted to laugh and shout all at once. "Papa thinks it was one of the Governor's hirelings. They're trying to scare me into silence, they don't want me to go digging any deeper into the conspiracy."

She pulled away from him and began dragging the limp bodies of the guards up and into seated positions. She puffed at how heavy they were and glanced over her shoulder at him. "Would you help me? I'm trying to make it look like they fell asleep on the job, rather than they were knocked out by a sleeping draught." He hurried over to assist her. He had about a thousand questions swirling about inside him. The first one he chose to ask surprised him though.

"Your Papa? You saw him?" She nodded as she tried to make Goat's arm fall in a way that didn't look so unnatural.

"He met me after my hearing with the high council. I'm not completely sure how I feel about it yet." He adjusted Pig so he was slumped against Goats back.

"How did you do this?" He didn't need to elaborate, she understood.

"Iago, he made me a sleeping draught. I managed to convince the serving girl on duty to give me her job for the evening. She won't give me away, she's taken the time off to visit her lover her parents don't approve of."

She quirked a smile as they stood back, admiring their work. The two guards sat back to back, slumped against one another. Close enough to the bars that Soul could have easily reached through and stolen their keys. They left the cell door wide open.

Maka gathered up the rest of the their dinner and they stole out of the prison tower.

They travelled through the fortress halls in silence. Maka had had the sense to bring a cloak for Soul so he could shroud himself from any prying eyes. They didn't seem to come across anyone for ages though, Maka having meticulously planned their path to avoid the guards rounds.

Ducking around a corner and into an empty room as the first guard they had encountered passed, Soul took the opportunity to ask the question that had burning inside him since they left his cell tower.

"Where are we going?" he whispered. She shook her head and only beckoned him to follow her as she determined the coast was clear.

Making their way down a spiralled staircase they emerged outside on the battlements. The salt air was cool on his face and he felt overwhelmingly grateful that this would not be the last time he got to experience it. "Only a little further now," she murmured, taking him by the hand and leading him onward.

The walkway lined the rocky coast, directly up against the water that crashed against the outer walls of the fortress noisily. They walked for several minutes before reaching a deserted curve of the wall, shadowed and silent for the distance it was from everything else. Maka held out her hand for him to stop. She then proceeded to produce a rope that had been stored for just this purpose.

"No light?" he asked her from his place nearby in the dark. The cloud covered sky was doing nothing for their visibility.

"I'm afraid not. I didn't want to draw too much attention to this spot."

"How are they going to find us?" She sighed, suddenly sounding close.

"Can't you just trust me?" He felt her move away from him to stand at the ledge. "Right on time," she murmured.

Out on the water a small light was bobbing its way towards the wall. Such a small light, it wouldn't be noticed unless someone were purposely looking for it already knowing it was there. The sounds of bickering echoed back to them. "Don't _shove _me." A voice hissed.

"Stop taking all of the room then!"

"Will you two stop! You'll tip the boat."

"I don't like it out here in the dark, its creepy. How are we even supposed to know we are going in the right direction?"

"You don't trust my judgement? I'm offended. I _know _where we're going."

Maka turned to him with an irrepressible grin. His eyes adjusting to the dark he was able to make out the shape of it, the expression on her face. "Your rescue party arrives," she announced softly. The arguing voices all shushed one another in that moment.

"Be quiet!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Do you think its them?"

"_Stop _shoving me!"

The sounds of oars dipping into the water reached them before the rowboat came into sight. When the boat did appear it took a moment for his eyes to adjust, the figures seated in it only blurry shadows before materializing. Kid and both Thompson sisters. They peered up at him with smiling faces as he leaned over the wall.

"Come on then Cap'n," Patti called up to him.

"Give him a minute Patti," Liz told her, annoyed. Kid nodded at Maka who smiled wistfully back.

Maka and Soul drew back. They worked together to tie the rope securely, tossing it over the side of the wall. Soul stood back and gestured forward. "After you," he said in a mock gentleman fashion.

She did not move, the light from the rescue parties lantern glowing behind her, ringing her in a halo of soft light. There was a beat of silence, only the sound of murmured conversation between the rescuers and the lapping of the water below filtered its way through the air. Her lips parted quietly.

"Soul, I'm not coming."

Again, silence. It was as if his mind couldn't properly process the words she had spoken. He had just assumed she would be coming with him. He didn't know why but for the life of him he couldn't properly imagine leaving without her. It just made sense for her to come too.

His mind recalled prior conversation and action. Adjusting the guards to look like they had just fallen asleep on the job instead of being knocked out, making it appear that he had escaped instead of being set free, mentioning how the serving girl would not give her away, bringing the remains of the sleep draught filled dinner to hide any trace of her treacherous behaviour.

She really didn't plan on coming with them. Unable to remove his confused expression he attempted to express his thoughts. "But…why?" he asked lamely.

"I have to stay here. I'm not a pirate." He laughed a little.

"They attacked you Maka, the Governor is out to make sure you are silenced forever…but you want to stay? Did they even believe you when you told them about the corruption or did they scorn you like they do to anyone who speaks the truth?" his tone was incredulous.

"I don't belong on a pirate ship, Soul." She said with an edge to her voice.

"It's not about being a pirate, Maka!" he snapped, his temper flaring. "Its about being _free_!" He stepped towards her, clutching her arms tightly as he spoke. "It isn't about looting or fighting or sacking ships and ports. Its about the freedom. About being able to go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do and damning the consequences." Her eyes were wide, she swallowed tightly.

"I have responsibili-"

"You aren't meant to be caged." He interrupted, not wanting to hear about her responsibilities. "If there was anybody I ever met who needed to be free its you. You flourished during the time you sailed with us." He told her earnestly. "Come with us, I know you won't-"

Pressing her finger to his lips, he fell quiet. She pulled away from him. "I'm not coming Soul," she told him firmly.

"They'll know it was you," he told her in a last effort to convince her. "They'll know you helped me to escape. They will kill you Maka." She shook her head.

"But they won't have any proof and without proof they can't do anything to me." A small sigh escaped her at his expression. "I cannot just run away, there are things I have left to do." The rescue party in the rowboat below were calling up to them now to hurry. Maka smiled sadly.

"You have to go now."

He moved to the edge, clutching the rope. Tensing, he whirled around and pulled her in against him, embracing her tightly. She relaxed against him and let go of a shaky breath. He placed a firm kiss on the top of her head and then went back to the rope. He could not look back, if he did he might do something drastic like try to kidnap her. He knew that would not go over well.

"Goodbye you pirate bastard," she whispered. He thought he heard her voice crack a little but it could have been his imagination. He chuckled at her endearing tone.

"Goodbye flat-chested wench." And he climbed down over the side of the wall and out of sight.

Maka stood alone in the dark long after the little rowboat had disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p>The gavel hammered down on the desk loudly, echoing into the room.<p>

"Request declined." The voice rang out with an unmistakable finality

Her heart dropped like a stone. She had been so sure they would approve it…how could they not? The Governor smirked at her from his place at the end of the table. Her fist clenched at her side, he was why. Whatever had happened was a result of the Governor's hatred for her.

She should have known, she told herself. Why they had even made her wait the three days was beyond her, perhaps to make her wonder and get her hopes up. Just to be cruel.

Three days. She had put in her request the day following Soul's escape. The base had been in an uproar and then under complete lockdown as every inch was searched for signs of him or where he might have gone. She had been interrogated, as she suspected she would be, though it had amounted to nothing. The two guards that had been caught sleeping outside Soul's cell had been promptly dismissed. Maka only felt a little bad for them, they were not a pleasant pair.

During the time she was waiting for the result of her request, her father left. She had seen him off at the northern gate to the base. He left by land, only himself on a horse with his pack. He had begged her to come with him but she had again refused.

"You are dismissed Captain," the Admiral said with a frown, not taking his eyes off of the papers in front of him as he read. She breathed deeply to calm herself. Losing her temper here would get her nowhere. She attempted to loosen her clenched fists.

"My Lord Admiral," she called out. The Admiral finally tore his eyes away from the papers in front of him, eyebrows raised. "Permission to speak?"

He put down the papers with a sigh. After staring her down for a moment he waved his hand to indicate her to go on.

"I would ask you why my request was declined?" She tried to remain polite but she knew her tone was biting. He folded his hands in front of him as he shifted forward in his seat.

"You had claimed to know the location of one Captain Kami Albarn and were requesting we send an expedition to retrieve her, yes?" Maka nodded tightly. "The place you claimed she _might _be." He made sure to emphasize the word might. "Is in the farlands and way outside of Shibusen navies jurisdiction. We don't have the authority to go in there guns blazing, Captain Albarn."

"She was the best! She was loyal to you to the end and you are just going to let her rot in some foreign land because it isn't in your _jurisdiction?_" she burst out furiously.

"_Captain_," one of the high council reprimanded sharply.

"It isn't realistic," the Admiral went on. "An expedition like that could take months, if not years. We cannot justify the expense or the manpower to run such a thing. Not for one person."

"I don't want a massive group. All I ask is for one ship and a crew. We can sail in and rescue her then come back."

"You don't even know her exact location. There are too many variables."

"Not to mention, you've been reassigned." The Governor interjected with a sly smile.

It felt as though someone had punched her in the gut. Her eyes snapped to the Governor to gauge his expression. The man was smiling quietly. His dark piercing eyes gleaming out at her from beneath his heavy brow. He was not just smiling, but smirking. Her floored expression had shown him she had not been expecting to be reassigned.

"Reassigned?" Maka managed in a breathy voice, trying to place her emotions on lock down. The Admiral cocked his head in the Governor's direction, clearly revealing that piece of information now had not been planned on. The Governor waived his hand lazily.

"What does it matter? She had might as well know now. Perhaps it will help to convince her she needs to drop the issue of sailing on a pointless expedition to the Farlands." The Admiral's jaw was visibly tight, he was clearly not pleased with being forced into this moment. He swallowed a sigh.

"Yes, we have reassigned you to assist with facilitating training. Its an excellent opportunity, you showed great aptitude and organizational skills in your own training. We thought it would be a nice change for you after recent-" he continued to drone on but his empty explanations buzzed away in Maka's ears.

Reassigned. To _assist _with facilitating training. They were taking her out of action. No ship. No sea. No crew. She would be dealing with paperwork and snot-nosed recruits. Not that she didn't appreciate what training was, in fact she had considered it for when she began to advance in her years. At such a time she would have embraced the ability to teach with open arms. But not now, not when she had so much more time ahead of her.

Something in her broke. Quick and sharp, it snapped like a frayed rope pulled too tight.

She became aware of the Admiral still droning on. It didn't matter. Nothing he said mattered. None of this entire meeting mattered. It never had. She felt like an idiot for allowing it go on, for dragging it on as she had. Her gaze snapped up to the high council's table.

"I resign."

Her proclamation interrupted the Admiral's droning. He looked confused, the whole council looked baffled. As if they could not comprehend what she had just said. Her words echoed off the rafters.

"Now, Captain Albarn, you are not really of an age to retire yet and-"

"I don't retire. I resign. I no longer wish to be a sailor in Shibusen Navy."

"This is a serious decision and I think perhaps you should-"

"I will not sleep on it." She told him firmly, cutting him off. "I don't need to think about my decision." She strode towards the desk, removing her medals from her chest as she went. She tossed them on the desk, a clatter of metal on wood. "And I don't want these."

She stepped back and gave a slight bow, perhaps a little mocking. "I am finished with your navy sir." She whirled and began to make her way towards the double doors as the buzzing of conversation broke over her like a wave.

A chair scraped loudly across the marble floor. "Miss Albarn." Already they dropped her title of Captain while addressing her. She hesitated, hand on the door handle. She considered ignoring the caller but turned slightly to see.

The Governor stood behind the table, his cunning face arranged artfully to appear indifferent, perhaps in what he believed was a noble expression. She knew she had stunned him though, could almost see his emotions writhing beneath the surface of his mask of a face.

"As you resign allow me to issue a warning. Despite your history with us here; if you are caught in any act of piracy, in the company of pirates, or passing valued information to pirates, we will not hesitate with the appropriate…discipline." His lip quirked a little. "To match said crime."

Her face hardened at his words but she nodded and bowed again, this time the bow was clearly mocking. She then turned and exited. Severing her career with Shibusen Navy.

* * *

><p>Where to go? She wondered as she finished packing the remainder of her things. Away, that was certain, but to where? Her heart was still set on finding her mother but she could not do so on her own without a ship or crew. Thoughts of the Demon Scythe crossed her mind on several occasions but she had no way to contact them and the Governor's warning echoed ever in he back of her mind since she left the council room.<p>

She didn't have a lot on the base, most of her things were home still.

She slung her pack over her shoulder. She had one last thing to do before she left. Iago was leaving. He had bought passage on one of the merchant ships that had come to the harbour to take him home. She had promised him she would see him off.

She felt as though she blinked and was suddenly there. She didn't even register making her way to the harbour. Her mind was blank. She was racing through pages of her mind like the pages of a book but each page was blank with no more concrete decision written on it than the last. Where to go?

Iago's brilliant smile greeted her. He embraced her tightly, a short laugh escaping him. Maka couldn't help but smile too as she pulled away, pushing her windblown hair from her eyes.

"You seem happy," she said as she tucked a wayward strand behind her ear. He threw his hands up towards the sky and boomed out a laugh in response.

"Iago is going home!" he chuckled, "Little Spark, I have not been this happy in years." His demeanour was infectious. She grinned at him.

"I am happy for you." Iago paused, his expression turning soft and a little sad.

"Just so. Such a decision you've made," just a comment, no prying questions, simply an observation. She chewed her lip.

"Do you think I've made the right one?" she asked in a small voice.

"That is not an answer I can give you." He gestured to her pack. "Where will you go?"

"Home, I think." She shielded her eyes from the sun. "For a little while anyways. After that. I don't really know."

"You will figure it out, Little Spark." He ruffled her hair affectionately. One of the crew began shouting for the passengers to board and Iago smiled ruefully, turning towards the ship.

"Why do you call me that?" Maka asked, her curiosity peaked. "Little Spark, I mean." Iago glanced at her over his shoulder.

"It is what you are. You are a small spark, but the smallest of embers can be just as dangerous. You burn bright. You are fire. Iago would have thought it was obvious?" He smiled and embraced her once more before heading up the ramp onto the ship.

"Farewell, Little Spark!" He called to her from the railing as the sails unfurled. "I pray the gods will smile on us and let us meet again!"

Maka turned as the ship pulled out of port, pushing her way through the milling crowds and away from the harbour. There was nobody to see her off, everyone who she truly cared for and cared about her in return were elsewhere.

_You aren't meant to be caged. _Her lip quirked in a smile.

"I'm not anymore," She murmured to herself as she reached the stables and mounted her horse. She turned it towards the east gate, cantering out onto the path and away from Shibusen Naval base.

First she would go home. It was a start.

* * *

><p><strong><em>END OF PART ONE<em>**

* * *

><p><strong><em><em>A/N: Yes, this means what you all think it means. Sequel! I have been planning to break this up into parts for awhile now but wanted to save my decision as a surprise! I had a completely different ending mapped out before but then was like...no...I want to take this further! And so my plans for a sequel were born! **

**So, if you have enjoyed this tale, watch out for its continuation!**

**And as always, I appreciate reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :D**

**-Song**


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